Facilitated biz environment a magnet to business investment

At a production line of new materials in Changyi, a county-level city in Weifang, Shandong province, workers are busy fulfilling orders in an organized and efficient manner.

"The regular on-site coordination and timely communication with local government departments have significantly facilitated our operations, effectively boosting project progress and securing time for completion," said Liu Wenpeng, head of the engineering department at Weifang-based Yaxing Chemical.

Strategically positioning itself as a beacon of business investment, Changyi is further optimizing its business environment and drawing attention from more investors, as part of its efforts to realize steady economic development and provide robust momentum and support for high-quality development.

Throughout the year 2023, it has conducted 105 targeted investment promotion activities in first-tier cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, signing contracts for 104 new projects whose investments have all exceeded 100 million yuan ($14 million). A total of 36 projects have started construction and 10 projects have been put into production, according to data from the local government.

China will continuously optimize its business environment and constantly stimulate the enthusiasm and creativity of business entities, according to the annual tone-setting Central Economic Work Conference, which was held in December.

However, to achieve the goal, it's not just enough to just invite businesses in — helping them to adapt to the local business environment and acquire actual growth is also important.

"For enterprises with investment intentions, all they need to do is to provide project information during the coordination process. We take care of the rest, to simplify the following process for businesses as much as possible," said Xia Haitao, director of Changyi's investment promotion center.

The city has so far successfully attracted a slew of major cooperative projects, such as a groundbreaking offshore wind power integration demonstration project with the Three Gorges Group, marking the nation's first tripartite model combining wind, light, and fishing farms.

"The decision to invest in and construct new energy projects here was supported by a series of project advancement services provided by the local government, allowing the project to transition from large-scale construction to grid-connected power generation in just 180 days," said Cao Jinchao, manager of the engineering management department at Three Gorges New Energy Shandong Changyi Power Generation Co Ltd.

Cao also said that the stable offshore wind speed and ample marine and terrestrial sunlight in the northern part of Changyi have also provided unique advantages for developing offshore wind power.

The successful grid connection of the project has not only filled a domestic gap and completed the industrial chain for local new energy development, but also attracted a series of relevant enterprises to invest in Changyi, leading to a virtuous circle for business growth, said Sun Zhaoxing, director of Changyi's development and reform bureau.

Similarly, a shrimp breeding company also said it had made a good choice to settle itself in Changyi, where the local government has helped it overcome difficult challenges before it finally gets to break industry bottlenecks.

"When it comes to shrimp breeding, water quality is most important. We found that Changyi's climate and geographical conditions are ideal for shrimp breeding. However, due to the presence of a chemical industrial park, there were concerns about possible minor groundwater pollution, which may make it unsuitable for aquaculture," said Luo Kun, deputy general manager of Bangpu, a Changyi-based breeding tech firm.

Upon hearing the news, the local government immediately drilled a deep well at Bangpu's breeding site and collected water samples before sending them to qualified testing institutions. The test results confirmed that it was just a false alarm — the water quality can meet the requirements for shrimp breeding.

"It was this dedicated move of the local government that prompted us to establish a breeding base in Changyi," Luo said.

Through strategic cooperation with high-quality domestic resources, Bangpu has established China's largest and most genetically diverse living seed bank for white leg shrimps. Key genetic collections have been continuously selected for over five generations, with an annual capacity to breed 100,000 pairs of high-quality shrimp, filling a gap in the domestic market and breaking the bottleneck of white leg shrimp breeding technologies that had been monopolized by foreign entities for years, said the company.

Changyi's proactive approach to investment promotion also lies in its meticulous planning, focusing on key industrial sectors such as high-end chemicals, intelligent equipment manufacturing, and new energy equipment. It has innovatively outlined precise investment roadmaps for each industry, streamlining the process for interested businesses.

Through advanced technologies like 3D modeling, AI panoramas, GPS positioning, and GIS systems, local government also aims to break the constraints of traditional investment practices. Key investment information about the city, such as location advantages, transportation, climate, power and land usage and existing industrial structures, can also be found on its WeChat mini-program. This integration enhances the efficiency of investment attraction by presenting a comprehensive overview of available resources, said the Changyi government.

To further enhance project management services throughout the full lifecycle, Changyi has organized 14 rounds of bank-enterprise matchmaking activities since the beginning of 2023, benefiting over 700 enterprises. Tax reductions and fee reductions amount to 530 million yuan, injecting financial vitality into the city's development, data from Weifang Investment Promotion Network said.

Its dedication to simplified procedures, tailored investment roadmaps and a favorable business environment has translated into tangible success.

"In the year 2023, Changyi has organized a series of project signing activities, inking 37 deals with a total investment of about 12 billion yuan, making investment attraction a strong force for high-quality development," said Xia, adding that the city's investment-related activities are even more active recently during the end-year period.

From January to October, the total industrial output value by above designated size entities in Changyi reached 68.53 billion yuan, an increase of 7.4 percent year-on-year. The operating income of industries above the designated size stood at 63.61 billion yuan, up 11.4 percent year-on-year, according to official data of the Changyi government.