6 | DISCOVER SHANXI Monday, January 13, 2020 CHINA DAILY Rich and diverse development potential lauded

Province, with a It has established trade relations with more than 180 countries and history of more than regions around the world, together 3,000 years, draws on with 58 friendship cities and 105 cultural heritage and friendly partners. natural resources for Beautiful Shanxi high­quality growth We are committed to building a beautiful Shanxi. To date, Shanxi has made remarkable progress in pre­ serving its ecological rehabilitation Lou Yangsheng, of Taihang Mountains, Lyuliang Party secretary of Mountain, the major reaches of the Shanxi province Fenhe and Sanggan rivers, and the Yellow River basin in the fight against climate change. The forest coverage rate of Shanxi has increased by 0.5 percentage Located at the Bohai Bay­rim eco­ points each year. Meanwhile, signifi­ nomic circle, Shanxi province has cant results have been achieved in huge development potential, abun­ The Great Wall is pictured on Taihang Mountains in Shanxi province. PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY energy conservation and emission dant natural resources, diverse cul­ reduction. The Fenhe River, the tures and convenient transportation. the Tang Dynasty (618­907) includ­ duction base for traditional Chinese information technology, big data, open Shanxi. Shanxi has a business mother river in Shanxi, now has bet­ Taiyuan, its capital, is some 500 kilo­ ing Wang Bo, Wang Wei and Wang medicines. There are 1,788 kinds of new energy, new materials, energy tradition since ancient times and its ter water quality and beautiful scen­ meters from Beijing and Tianjin Zhizhen, and Northern Song Dynas­ TCM materials and 39 kinds of conservation, environmental protec­ people have always had an open ery. Thousands of white swans come Port. The 156,700­square­kilometer ty (960­1127) statesman Sima Guang. authentic medicinal materials in tion, general aviation and biomedi­ mindset. In the new era of opening­ to Shanxi each winter. land is home to 37 million people. Some of China’s world­class cul­ Shanxi. It is also home to the time­ cine. up to the outside world, Shanxi has Shanxi is a cradle of Chinese civili­ tural symbols are deeply rooted in honored alcohol brand Fenjiu, one of Shanxi is also committed to devel­ tried hard to expand its business cir­ Happy Shanxi zation, with a written history of more Shanxi. One example is the Great the eight famous spirits in China. oping other industries such as cul­ cle under the Belt and Road Initia­ We are committed to building a than 3,000 years. The early Chinese Wall, which was the most complete Shanxi has rich and diverse folk tural tourism and intensive tive, boost national strategies such as happy Shanxi. More than 80 percent emperors Yao, Shun and Yu all estab­ defense system for the Chinese mili­ cultures such as Jinju Opera, the art processing of agricultural products. the synergetic development of the of the fiscal expenditure in Shanxi is lished capitals in the southwestern tary in ancient times. Another is the of Chinese paper­cuttings and wood­ It will also accelerate the sustaina­ Beijing­Tianjin­Hebei region, the used to improve people’s well­being, part of Shanxi, which opened the first Yellow River, the mother river of the cut prints. Enamelware, polished lac­ ble development of traditional integration of the Yangtze River Del­ employment, social security, educa­ chapter of Chinese civilization. The Chinese nation, which surrounds quer and clear mud are three cultural industries such as coal, coke, iron ta and the Guangdong­Hong Kong­ tion, medical care and other social province boasts magnificent natural southwest Shanxi and forms the treasures in Shanxi. and steel. Macao Greater Bay Area. undertakings. scenery and landscapes with three wonderful Hukou Waterfall in Jixian Shanxi will build open platforms The province is accelerating the World Cultural Heritage sites, includ­ county. Taihang Mountains is anoth­ Thriving Shanxi such as ports, comprehensive bond­ construction of medical groups and ing Wutai Mountains, one of the four er magnificent natural wonder and We are committed to building a ed areas and inland ports to further medical centers. The income growth famous Buddhist mountains in Chi­ landmark in Shanxi. The province vibrant Shanxi. Entering the new era, promote opening­up. rate of local residents increases faster na, Pingyao ancient city and the Yun­ has a mild climate with distinct sea­ Shanxi is aiming to boost high­quali­ Taiyuan is its transport hub along than its GDP. The number of poverty­ gang Grottoes. sons, forests, wetlands, hot springs, ty growth, maintain steady and the high­speed railway system, with stricken people was reduced by 3.27 Shanxi has 531 national cultural and other recreational resources. healthy development and build a the China­Europe Central Asia million, and the incidence of poverty relics, ranking first in the country. The area is rich in natural resour­ well­off society. The province is striving to reform scheduled train services offered. The dropped from 13.6 percent to less There are 120 wooden buildings dat­ ces with more than 120 types of min­ Shanxi will seize development and innovate its development zones, number of international routes has than 0.1 percent. ing back to before the three co­exist­ erals. There are more than 270 billion opportunities under the nation’s key establishing 77 such zones at the pro­ been on the rise and the throughput In 2020, China is expected to get ing Song (960­1279), Liao (916­1125) metric tons of coal reserves and its policies such as environmental pro­ vincial level and above. of Taiyuan Wusu International Air­ rid of poverty and achieve a well­off and Jin(1115­1234) dynasties, which volume of coalbed methane, vanadi­ tection and high­quality develop­ The area of industrial develop­ port has exceeded 14 million passen­ society in an all­round way, which account for more than 70 percent of um and magnesium ore rank first in ment of the Yellow River basin. ment zones in Shanxi has reached gers annually. will certainly set an immortal monu­ the country’s total. It is known as the China. The province will construct a com­ 2,800 square kilometers, accounting Shanxi is aiming to create a busi­ ment in the history. “Museum of Ancient Architectural Shanxi is a paradise for food, espe­ prehensive pilot zone to transform for some 1.8 percent of the province’s ness­friendly environment for inves­ We will work hard to transform Art in China”. The province has been cially its noodles and grain. The prov­ its resource­based economy, carry land. The development zones are tors by speeding up the construction the society and boost high­quality home to many talented people dat­ ince has more than 400 kinds of out energy revolution reforms, create becoming a main engine for innova­ of a digital government, strengthen­ development in a sustainable way. ing back to thousands years ago, such noodles and produces more than 120 a first­class innovation ecosystem tion and opening­up in Shanxi. ing intellectual property protection, We will realize socialist moderniza­ as the ancient Chinese thinker Xun types of miscellaneous cereals in sev­ and focus on the advancement of deepening customs clearance reform tion in sync with the whole country Zi (Hsun Tsu 313­218 BC) during en categories. high­end emerging industries, such Open Shanxi and providing a “single window” ser­ by 2035 and unswervingly carry out the Warring States Period, poets of The province is also a major pro­ as manufacturing, next­generation We are committed to building an vice for international trade. the comprehensive reform. Optimized structure fuels Shanxi’s transformation

By HU YUYAN portal. And a professional team [email protected] has been established to assist com­ panies with the online procedures. Resource­rich Shanxi province in “The all­in­one online platform North China is trying to shake off its has brought us great convenience,” dependence on coal by investing in said Ma Yuefei, a senior executive alternative industries for sustaina­ at Taiyuan Daningtang Pharma­ ble growth. ceutical. “What took five to six One­third of China’s coal reserves months before can now be done in are located in Shanxi, which used to only two months. “power half of the country’s light “The paperwork for environ­ bulbs”. Yet decades of dependence mental impact assessment, quality on coal has given Shanxi’s economy supervision and other procedures Tourist wander along an old street in Pingyao, an ancient county deep­seated structural problems. can all be completed online. We no in Jinzhong, Shanxi province. PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY Depending on a single resource is longer need to prepare multiple risky business for any economy, copies of paperwork for different especially when the resource is non­ departments as they can now share renewable. Diversification of the Industrial robots work at a new energy vehicle company in one copy online,” Ma added. Pingyao’s New Year economy has become the only way Jinzhong, Shanxi province. PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY From January to November last out. year, the added value of non­coal The Shanxi Transition and Com­ industries above a designated size prehensive Reform Demonstration The government said it hopes Bringing in projects is only one in Shanxi grew 6.4 percent year­ festival making a name Zone, located in the city of Taiyuan, that achievements made in the zone step in the process of transforming on­year. was established in 2017 as one of the can be repeated across the entire the local economy. Their contribution to the provin­ province’s significant steps away province. Quality support services for the cial total was 57.1 percent, 14.2 per­ for itself internationally from a coal­dominated economic Since its establishment less than businesses involved are equally centage points higher than that of structure. three years ago, the zone has intro­ important. To make life easier for the coal industry, according to the By YIN RUOWEI walking. It is expected to bring the The zone is intended to become duced 138 projects in emerging sec­ these companies, in 2018 the zone Shanxi Statistics Bureau. [email protected] atmosphere of Pingyao Chinese an innovation hub for emerging tors, involving a total investment launched an “all­in­one” online Between 2016 and 2018, Shanxi New Year to a peak. industries such as big data, internet worth 230 billion yuan ($33 bil­ platform that can handle 150 province shut down 88 coal mines, The ancient county of Pingyao “Pingyao Chinese New Year con­ of things, cross­border e­commerce, lion). Companies including Tian­ administrative procedures, phasing out 88.41 million metric in Shanxi province is wowing tour­ tributes to building cultural confi­ advanced manufacturing, new cheng Electronic Information improving efficiency. tons of excess coal production ists from home and abroad with dence. I hope every tourist will materials, energy conservation, Technology and Chengong New Access to the platform is dis­ capacity, the biggest amount of any an annual cultural event — Ping­ find their joy of Spring Festival in new energy vehicles and modern Energy Technology have settled in played prominently on the front province nationwide, Xinhua News yao Chinese New Year. Pingyao,” Shi said. logistics. the zone. page of the zone’s official online Agency reported. This year’s event started on Jan Pingyao has long been one of 11 and will last until Feb 9. With the most popular Chinese cities the theme of “Our festival — for domestic and foreign tourists. Spring Festival,” it will offer 18 In 2018, more than 15 million tour­ Region partners with Baidu to invest in future themed activities focusing on five ists visited. During the weeklong elements: beauty, culture, civiliza­ Spring Festival holiday in 2019, tion, fashion and happiness. more than 450,000 people took By ZHANG DANDAN and cloud computing to collaborate in data processing efficiency and The county’s chief, Shi Yong, said part in Pingyao Chinese New Year. [email protected] in the data annotation industry. accuracy. this year’s event takes advantage of Founded in the 14th century, “To build a digital Shanxi is an 32 As a front­runner in terms of data new media such as short video Pingyao is one of the best­pre­ By joining hands with Chinese inevitable choice and the only way enterprises processing volume nationwide, the streaming platform Tik Tok to cre­ served ancient building complex­ internet giant Baidu, Shanxi prov­ of promoting the modernization of Number of companies that base has an accuracy rate of 99.95 ate a new experience and attracts es with old walls, streets, lanes, ince is committed to developing the the province’s governance system have been registered with the percent, according to the local gov­ global audiences. shops, dwellings and temples. artificial intelligence data annota­ and capacity,” said Lou Yangsheng, industrial base of artificial ernment. According to Shi, there will be The city is on UNESCO’s World tion industry. Party secretary of the province. intelligence data annotations The industrial base has created three shows that should not be Cultural Heritage list. UNESCO in Taiyuan The attempt aims to foster a new The partnership between Shanxi jobs, fueled local industrial trans­ missed. First, the opening ceremo­ says it is an outstanding example spot for its economic development, and Baidu is expected to contribute formation and promoted standardi­ ny on Saturday presented a star­ of a Han people’s city in the Ming promote industrial upgrading and to the province’s digitalization as So far, the industrial base has had zation of the data service industry, studded gala night and visual and Qing dynasties (1368­1911). It improve urban management and well as the creation of a digital gov­ offices measuring 10,000 square said a senior executive at the indus­ magic. retains all the Han city features technical innovation. ernment, Lou added. meters and 32 enterprises regis­ trial base. Friday will be the 23rd of the and provides a complete picture of As an important segment of the In 2018, the two parties estab­ tered. The base will better provide data 12th lunar month of 2019, known cultural, social, economic and reli­ artificial intelligence industry, the lished an industrial base of AI data By offering data processing servi­ and technical support for Shanxi’s as minor Chinese New Year, a gious development in Chinese his­ data annotation sector is projected annotations in Taiyuan, capital of ces in fields including unmanned transformation into a digital econo­ week ahead of Lunar New Year’s tory. to have a market value of 30 billion Shanxi province. vehicles, voice technology, facial my, he said. Eve. On that day, guests to Ping­ Pingyao is of great value for aca­ yuan ($4.29 billion) in China by Nationally, this data annotations recognition, picture and ground The industrial base is boosting yao’s landmarks are expected to demic research into social form, 2022, industry insiders said. industry base is the largest in scale mapping, companies in the indus­ collaboration with relevant govern­ take part in activities portraying economic structure, military According to a strategic coopera­ and the strongest in operation trial base have so far generated ment bodies and enterprises to Shanxi merchants’ spirit that has defense, religious belief, tradition­ tion framework agreement signed capacity, according to the local gov­ nearly 100 million yuan in business empower the province in fields been passed down the centuries. al thinking, traditional ethics and by the Shanxi government and Bai­ ernment. revenue, according to the local gov­ such as digital government, public Another event will take place on dwelling forms, according to du in 2017, the two would use The industrial base also provides ernment. security big data, intelligent trans­ the 15th of the first lunar month, UNESCO. Shanxi’s favorable policy environ­ key support for Baidu to help With the help of an intelligent port and intelligent medical care. or Lantern Festival, which will fall Pingyao was also classified as a ment and industrial foundation Shanxi realize its transformation management background system, on Feb 8 this year. It will feature top­rated tourist attraction in Chi­ and Baidu’s expertise in AI, big data into a digital economy in the future. the industrial base has advantages Li Yu contributed to this story. lantern shows, lion dance and stilt na in 2015.

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