From its original desert terrain to its current garden image, the Northern Area Industrial Park in the Urumqi State High-tech Industrial Zone has undergone a remarkable transformation.

The production line of Xinjiang Guoye Group at the Northern Area Industrial Park of Urumqi State High-tech Industrial Zone [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Northern Area Industrial Park began strengthening its management in 2010, through service improvement, investment attraction, environment construction and infrastructure construction.

The park now boasts green coverage of more than 200 heaters, giving it a green space to urban space ratio of 43.7 percent.

Two hundred and twenty enterprises are located in the park, including Xinjiang Zhonghe Aluminum Company, Huashidan Pharmaceutical Company, Urumqi Delan Technology Company and Risingsun Environmental Protection Company.

The park’s industrial output came to 10 billion yuan ($1.57 billion) in 2014, rising from the 5 billion yuan in 2011.

The manufacturing shop of Zhonghe Aluminum Company at the Northern Area Industrial Park of Urumqi State High-tech Industrial Zone [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

It adopted a new development plan in 2012 and prioritized biomedicine, e-commerce, cultural innovation, new material and environmental protection industries.

The park was designated as a demonstration site of pharmaceuticals by the Economic and Information Commission of Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region in 2012.

In 2013, the region’s first incubator dedicated to biomedicine enterprise was established in the Northern Industrial Park. The park is home to 95 percent of the total number of biomedicine enterprises in Xinjiang.

The park’s achievement and development also attracted attention from central government. In April 2013, Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli came to the park, where he visited Xinjiang Zhonghe Company and encouraged them to improve innovation and adjust industrial structure.

Chinese President Xi Jinping also visited the park’s Guoye Group in April 2014 and spoke highly of its efficient logistics system and Xinjiang-characterized horticulture.

The general view of the Northern Area Industrial Park of Urumqi State High-tech Industrial Zone [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

By Yang Fan and edited by Jacob Hooson