By Tu Lei (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2007-11-16 15:04

"The free trade zone is learning to say no to polluted factories when attracting investments," said Xu Hong, vice director of Administrative Committee of Ningbo Free Trade Zone, in an interview yesterday.

The free trade zone has set up a "green door," strictly selecting investment projects with low energy-consumption, low environmental pollution and high efficiency, said Xu.

Xu Hong, vice director of Administrative Committee of Ningbo Free Trade Zone, speaks in an interview on November 15, 2007, The zone, located in East China's Zhejiang Province, will welcome its 15th birthday on November 19 this year. [chinadaily.com.cn]

In 2002, the zone set up ISO 14000 environment management systems and standards, and in 2005, the zone was listed as one of ISO 14000 national pilot zones in China.

"We prefer green investment to ensure win-win situations in economy and environment," said Xu.

Figures show, within the zone, per unit of industrial value added consumed 0.3 tons of coal equivalent by 10,000 yuan for the first nine months of the year.

A quarter of enterprises have passed ISO14000 certification, and that percentage is expected to rise to 50 percent during the 11th Five-Year Program period (2006-10).

Xu said the zone's administrative committee will enhance its supervision in a bid to improve enterprise energy-saving concepts, and adopt strict standards to punish polluters.

"The enterprises' concepts are more important than technology on energy-saving," said Xu.

As of the end of this September, the zone had attracted 6,199 enterprises from home and abroad, with a registered capital of US$5.1 billion, and has formed LCD, integrated circuit, and computer industries clusters.

The zone will welcome its 15th birthday on 19 November this year.