W E E K E N D

CHINA DAILY HEBEISPECIAL OCTOBER 17 - 18, 2009 5

Night view of the Caofeidian International Club for the conference

Caofeidian Forum fosters sustainable future

product of nearly 7.76 trillion Prestigious inaugural event yuan — about a quarter of the nation’s total. offers visions of a new economy The figure is expected to surpass 8.7 trillion yuan By Liu Xiang Participants exchanged in 2010, 30 percent of the insights on a wide variety of nation’s projected total. topics including the recycled Accelerating development While the curtain is coming economy, new industrializa- and reform in the region is down today on the first Cao- tion, sustained development seen as key to the nation’s de- feidian Forum, its theme — ex- for cities, construction of velopment strategy, helping ploring sustained growth — is eco-friendly urban areas stimulate demand and tackle likely to long continue in the and regional economic co- the economic meltdown. The thoughts of participants. operation. region is also expected to play Organized mainly for Speeches, symposiums, a significant role in China’s Chinese and foreign mayors, investment promotions, trade continued growth over the the international forum that talks, displays of energy-ef- next three decades, organiz- started Thursday in Caofeid- ficient and resource-saving ers said. ian, part of Tangshan in north products and technologies The Binhai New District in China’s Hebei province, at- and inspection tours were Tianjin was named a pilot area tracted more than 1,000 also part the event. for comprehensive reforms participants from around the Organizers said the pres- by the central government world, including high-ranking tigious forum illustrates in early 2008. Caofeidian governmental officials, senior China’s determination to de- is among the nation’s first corporate executives and in- velop a sustainable economy model industrial parks using ternally renowned scholars. while showcasing the emerg- a recycled economy. The global economy has ing Bohai Bay Rim’s strategic The forum is jointly spon- already begun to show signs significance in the country’s sored by the ministries of of recovery, yet the hang- modernization, promoting land and resources, and over from the international the host city Tangshan as an environmental protection, financial crisis remains example of the move from a the Development Research — giving rise to this year’s resource-based city to an eco- Center of the State Council event. It focused on sustain- friendly, sustained economy. and the Hebei provincial able development and new The bay rim region of Hebei, government. industrialization as ways to Shandong and Liaoning prov- Centering on sustained emerge stronger from the inces along with Beijing and growth, the theme of the economic turmoil now grip- Tianjin now generate a com- biennial international event ping the world. bined annual gross domestic will vary each year. Zhao Yong (right), Party chief of the Tangshan municipal committee, talks with a foreign businessman at the forum. Liu Xiang Tangshan: ‘Steel Once-obscure island on city’ forging an course to economic fame

By Bian Yi generate an annual steel out- have more than 260 berths for innovative model put of 10 million tons before minerals, coal, crude oil, lique- 2010. China National Offshore fied natural gas, chemicals and By Xin Yi ment protection — to promote Before a small, little-known Oil Corp has begun a number containers, including 16 berths efficient use of resources as it island, Caofeidian is emerg- of projects in the area, includ- each with a handling capacity secures additional investment ing as a new star along the ing a 48-sq-km machinery and of at least 300,000 tons. Host city of the Caofeidian and regional cooperation. Bohai Bay for its robust growth equipment park. After all the berths are com- Forum, industrialized Tang- “In this way, our city will momentum and development As well, a 50 billion yuan pleted, Caofeidian will become shan, was long known for coal realize industrial restructur- Venue for the Caofeidian forum potential. energy project has been signed one of the world’s largest ports mining, iron and steel, but ing and integration and help With natural conditions for with China Huadian Corp. Oth- with an annual throughput sur- today it is moving away from develop a number of local steel output. — well its counties and districts developing large deepwater er projects totaling more than passing 500 million tons. the traditional resource-based companies with an edge in the More than 1,000 high energy — meet emission standards harbors, modern harbor indus- 3 billion yuan have already In addition, five industries economy to a new model for international market,” Zhao consuming and polluting enter- within three years. tries and an environmentally begun construction. — logistics, iron and steel, ma- sustained growth. added. prises have now been shuttered If they fail to meet standards, friendly city, construction of According to a development chine and equipment manu- “In pursuit of sustained President Hu Jintao praised and nearly 4,600 companies county or district leaders will be the district has been listed in blueprint mapped out by lo- facturing, petrochemicals and development and new industri- the efforts by local authorities have been requested to improve asked to step down, while heads the nation’s 11th Five-Year Plan cal authorities, Caofeidian is maritime chemicals — have alization, we are changing the during an inspection tour in industrial pollution control over of non-compliant State-owned (2006-10). designed to become a port and been designated as pillar sec- development pattern, upgrad- Tangshan in 2006 and proposed the past three years. companies will be removed and Unveiled as a new district storage base for bulk goods, en- tors of local economy. ing industries and focusing building the city into a model of Heavy industry contributes private companies will be forced in March, Caifeidian entered a ergy resources and minerals, a In the first half of this year, more on construction of an scientific development. 93 percent of added industrial to suspend operations. new stage in its history. new industrial center and a 32.8 billion yuan was invested eco-friendly, modern city,” said Encouraged by Hu’s remarks, value to the city — typically In addition to enhancing The new district, 70 km to the model State-level recycling in the new district. About 100 Zhao Yong, Party chief of the the city government launched relying on enormous amounts pollution control at existing south of downtown Tangshan, is economy. billion yuan is expected to be city commission. a three-year campaign for of energy — contributing one- companies, the authorities have planned to cover a total area of With a 62-km-long coast- invested in the area for the Local authorities have decid- efficient use of resources and fifth of Hebei’s GDP, but also also taken the environment about 1,944 sq km and include line, the island is planned to entire year. ed to extend and improve the reducing emissions. consuming one-third of the into consideration in securing the Caofeidian Industrial Zone, city’s industrial chain in seven The campaign covers 10 key province’s energy. and selecting new investment Nanbao Economic Development of its sectors — steel, machines industries, including steel and In early 2008, the city gov- projects. Zone, Caofeidian new city and Ore berth in Caofeidian and equipment manufacturing, iron. Tangshan is the biggest ernment announced a policy Last year alone, more than Tanghai county. chemicals, modern agriculture, steel maker in Hebei, a province requesting designated heavy 60 projects were rejected for Recent years saw more than service, hi-tech and environ- that tops the nation in annual energy consuming enterprises not meeting environmental 40 State leaders visit the island. standards. Among them, President Hu Jin- Authorities of Caofeidian, a tao noted during his trip to the new district and a burgeon- island in 2006 that the area ing economic hub of the city, is a treasure to be tapped. He refused projects worth more encouraged local authorities to than 10 billion yuan in total. develop the island into a model The strict screening proce- for sustained growth. dure in selecting projects en- A year later, Premier Wen sures a high-quality investment Jiabao also made an inspection environment. As a result, more tour of Caofeidian and proposed quality projects have attracted building the island into a first- to the city. class international port. Since 2006, about 160 key At the same time, some projects have been built, 60,000 businesspeople and in- with a total investment of vestors from home and abroad 153.5 billion yuan, spurring have also been attracted to the continued growth of local bustling area. A Singaporean company signs a deal economy. Shougang Group, one of for a new project in Tangshan. The city’s GDP jumped from China’s steelmaking giants, 236.2 billion yuan in 2006 to has moved its operations to 356.1 billion yuan last year. Caofeidian and is expected to