6 | ADVERTORIAL Tuesday, June 30, 2020 CHINA DAILY | 7

Area’s economy lifted Centers for trade and after inaugural meeting service opened at FTZ

By YUAN SHENGGAO FTZ’s influence in attracting secured 134 contracts investment and high­level profes­ The China (Shandong) Pilot sionals. Free Trade Zone Yantai Area Focusing on becoming a key By YUAN SHENGGAO billion yuan ($90.86 billion). opened international trade and national economic center and a All the projects represented service centers last week. hub for logistics and technology The first Conference of Great the advanced technical level in The international trade center is innovation, the Jinan area has Business Partners held by China and helped Shandong fill expecting some 36 foreign trade developed a system for assessing Shandong in 2018 has helped the some industry gaps, according to companies to set up their opera­ human capital in a bid to empower province reap a raft of business the local government. tions there including JD Cloud, its industrial development. deals and attract professionals, By the end of May 2020, the Hengbang Supply Chain Compa­ It has also provided catering which has helped to boost the signed projects from the 2018 ny, and Shandong Longtai Petrole­ businesses with convenient servi­ economy with new growth driv­ Conference of Great Business um Equipment. ces for their registration and opera­ ers. Partners have gathered a total To date, the trade center has tion. With an aim of building a plat­ investment of 95 billion yuan. attracted 42 enterprises, generat­ To facilitate the construction of form for high­level exchanges And 14 projects, with an invest­ ing 9.79 billion yuan ($1.38 billion) industries such as modern marine and cooperation, the 2018 Con­ ment of 10.8 billion yuan in total, Weihai joins other cities in Shandong to promote investment in imports and exports from Janu­ and the shipping logistics, the ference of Great Business Part­ have been completed. projects and sign deals at the conference. PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY ary to May. Qingdao area has carried out plans ners invited 1,096 guests from all The 2018 Conference of Great The two centers are part of the on supporting its marine industry walks of life from home and Business Partners also saw 57 area’s effort to attract investment via targeted policies and capital abroad, and more than 4,000 local employers in Shandong and promote international management. scholars and representatives reach cooperation intention Major companies have exchange, local officials said. In the first quarter of this year, from enterprises to participate agreements with 118 high­level As part of the China (Shandong) the cargo and container through­ in 11 forums and 17 negotiation professionals and teams from Pilot Free Trade Zone, the Yantai put of Shandong Port in the area activities. home and abroad. The Shandong Peninsula is surrounded by the Bohai Sea to the north and the Yellow Sea to the south. PHOTOS PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY area is designed to be a pilot zone maintained growth, local officials At the event, the Shandong A website named “Select choice from over 300 for trade and investment coopera­ said. Development and Reform Com­ Shandong” was launched during tion between China and South The Shandong FTZ said it has mission presented 600 selected the first conference in 2018, to Korea, a base for intelligent marine explored 60 innovative measures, projects from diverse fields — provide information on invest­ corporate opportunities manufacturing and a demonstra­ with 24 relating to the business including new­generation infor­ ment projects, employment Shandong launches investment tion pilot area for the industrializa­ environment, 13 involving trade mation technology, new energy opportunities and capital flows, tion of national scientific and transformation and upgrading, and materials, intelligent mari­ involving more than 180 indus­ By YUAN SHENGGAO technological achievements and eight concerning the ocean econo­ time engineering and healthcare trial parks in 17 cities across the 312 international technologies. my, seven covering innovation­ — to seek investment from all province. Shandong is making efforts to projects The area said it has planned 170 driven development and the over the world. The website has documented promote 312 major projects at the innovative items revolving around financial sector and one referring events to promote opening­up Shandong is promoting at the Statistics from the provincial 600 key investment projects, 539 Conference of Great Business Part­ second Conference of Great the province’s 100 innovation pilot to regional economic development government show that a total of enterprise recruitment require­ ners, which gets under way in the Business Partners tasks, as part of the effort to pro­ between China, Japan and South 134 contracts were secured at the ments and the information of province on Tuesday. mote its development. Korea. first conference, the total more than 2,000 high­level pro­ Province in East China to host second Conference of Great Business Partners across 16 cities The conference has attracted a Approved by the State Council in As of April, the FTZ had wel­ amount of which reached 643 fessionals. group of the world’s top 500 compa­ 2019, the Shandong FTZ covers the comed 17,155 registered companies, nies, large State­owned enterprises 10 areas of Jinan, Qingdao and Yantai, with 207 foreign­invested ones. By YUAN SHENGGAO mittee of the conference. enterprises and selecting projects. These projects cover a wide range and the top 500 Chinese enterprises key projects spanning 119.98 square kilometers. From January to April, the amount Under the context of the influence A total of 3,545 corporate guests of areas including major infrastruc­ seeking business opportunities in It is developed under the focus of of paid­in foreign investment in the Dongying is to introduce at the mega investment promo­ of the COVID­19 pandemic and the have been approved to take part as of ture, Shandong’s top 10 industries the province. conference institutional innovation and the province’s FTZ reached $370 mil­ tion event kicks off in East normalization of epidemic preven­ June 22, of which 219 are from the and industrial technology reform, Shandong has introduced a num­ requirement of accumulating prac­ lion, and the value of its imports China’s Shandong on tion and control, the conference is world’s top 500 enterprises, 193 from demonstrating Shandong’s determi­ ber of key industrial projects, major tices that may be replicated and and exports was 77.14 billion yuan. Tuesday, as part of the expected to deepen communication China’s top 500 companies, 999 from nation to replace old economic infrastructure and new infrastruc­ applied elsewhere, local officials During the period, the Shandong province’s efforts to further expand A and exchanges with investors at industry­leading companies and 356 growth drivers with new ones and ture construction projects, industri­ 10.2 said. FTZ has helped attract 9.8 percent its opening­up and shore up high­ home and abroad, strengthen inves­ from startups. bringing in high­quality investment, al technical innovation projects and billion yuan The Shandong FTZ consists of of foreign investment and contrib­ quality development. tors’ confidence in Shandong, A total of 1,885 guests are engaged Ren said. mixed­ownership SOE reform pro­ three areas with different targets, uted 12.5 percent of the value of total assets of Shandong Port Attaching great importance to expand new fields for cooperation in Shandong’s top 10 industries, A total of 129 selected projects are jects to guests at home and abroad. Group by the end of 2019 aiming to improve the local busi­ imports and exports in the prov­ bringing in investment, collaborat­ and stabilize the industrial and sup­ which are new­generation informa­ from Shandong’s top 10 industries, More than 10 key industrial pro­ ness environment and enhance the ince, local officials said. ing with Hong Kong and Macao and ply chains, Ren said. tion technology, high­end equip­ accounting for 41.3 percent of the total. jects will be introduced at the con­ win­win cooperation with multiple With its main venue set up in Ji­ ment, new energy and new materials, And projects from emerging industries ference, including a national rare mote mixed­ownership reforms for partners, the Second Conference of nan, the conference features online modern marine, healthcare, green account for nearly 70 percent of the earth catalytic research institute SOEs to help them expand their Great Business Partners and Inter­ project promotions in 16 cities chemicals, modern agriculture, cul­ total, with 56 projects covering 5G, big project and a catalyst resource utili­ market and increase capital. national Summit on Innovation and across Shandong province, includ­ ture creativity, tourism and modern data and industrial internet industries. zation and water treatment agent A batch of mixed­ownership Government policies Development of Youth Entrepre­ ing Qingdao, Yantai, Rizhao, Liao­ finance. To meet the requirements of epi­ project in the city of Dongying. reform projects will be promoted at neurs is Shandong’s first high­level cheng, Weihai and Dongying. With an aim to forge new econom­ demic prevention and control, Shan­ Other major infrastructure pro­ the conference. One of them activity this year for opening­up and “The conference is rich in content ic growth drivers, the province select­ dong has developed a complete virus jects, including the reconstruction involves Shandong Port Group, stabilize foreign deals investment, said Ren Airong, vice­ and innovative form. In fact, it is an ed 312 quality projects for inviting prevention and control system to guar­ of highway bridge, the construction established in August 2019 in Qing­ Vehicles are carried along the production line of a smart automo­ governor of Shandong province. She online investment attraction day of investment at the second Conference antee participants’ safety. The main of a high­tech logistics industry dao. bile manufacturing plant in Shandong. WEI DONG / FOR CHINA DAILY made the remarks at a news confer­ the whole province,” Ren said. of Great Business Partners and Inter­ venue in Jinan will be disinfected and From top: Scores of containers at Shandong’s Rizhao Port, which is zone, an airport, subway and others, The company has 33 qualifica­ By YUAN SHENGGAO expand markets. ence held on June 23. To secure a successful conference, national Summit on Innovation and all the attendees, reporters and staff playing an important role in boosting the province’s opening­up. will also be introduced at the confer­ tions related to construction engi­ According to Lyu, to improve Ren also serves as the deputy Shandong has made a great deal of Development of Youth Entrepre­ members will have nucleic acid tests Robots assemble a car at the SAIC Motor factory in Yantai, ence. neering and one qualification for Despite the impact of the novel international freight capacity and director of the organizing com­ preparation for inviting guests and neurs. before the conference. Shandong province. The new infrastructure construc­ overseas contract projects. As of coronavirus, Shandong province unblock logistics channels, Shand­ tion projects, promoted at the con­ the end of 2019, total assets of the has made great efforts to stabilize ong opened six international Youth summit spawns ference, cover the construction of company totaled 10.1 billion yuan foreign trade by releasing a series freight flights, including Jinan to Di, and Chinese­leading property northern region, will host a forum new energy vehicle charging piles, and its revenue reached 740 million of policies and providing services Seoul in South Korea, Qingdao to developer Greenland Chairman on Tuesday where about 20 indus­ 5G smart zones and a national yuan. for foreign trade companies. Osaka in Japan and Qingdao to Entrepreneurs reach out for global cooperation Zhang Yuliang. try insiders will give online speech­ super­computing science park. The company plans to seek part­ Lyu Wei, deputy director of the Bangkok, Thailand. wave of new projects “We have also invited executives es about hot topics like the internet The Yantai China Mobile 5G big ners in financing, engineering Department of Commerce of The province has also provided of Fortune Global 500 companies, celebrity economy and Internet data center is seeking technical design and construction. Shandong province said :“With specific services for foreign trade By ZHANG LINWAN gan (Jinan) sensor project. By YIN RUOWEI will be in place that day. It will con­ leaders of the top 500 Chinese com­ Plus. cooperation at the conference. The Other mixed­ownership reform the pandemic continuing to companies to promote the [email protected] “The summit offered us easier [email protected] nect the venue, nine negotiating panies, corporate representatives, Also on that day, local officials center is to generate an estimated projects focus on airports, high­ spread globally, Shandong is fac­ resumption and efficient opera­ access to quality projects, which can rooms and hundreds of guests business association presidents, will go online, tailor plans for each annual revenue of 2.4 billion yuan speed rail, steel, investment and ing new difficulties and challen­ tion of supply chain under safe The International Summit on bolster the city’s high­quality devel­ Cities in Shandong province, across the world. young entrepreneurs and social project, and discover and address ($339.04 million) when it is put marine culture. ges.” control and prevention of the pan­ Innovation and Development of opment,” said Lou Chunyang, depu­ including Weihai, Dongying and “Echoing the theme ‘Seizing New celebrities. pain points for enterprises. into operation. Shandong’s Qingdao, Weihai, The province released 32 sup­ demic. Youth Entrepreneurs has become a ty director of the Zhangqiu Binzhou, have long been consid­ Opportunities and Sharing New “They are from more than 20 An official in Binzhou, another Industrial technical innovation Jinan and Yantai cities are promot­ porting policies during the out­ At the Jining National High­ vital platform for East China’s investment promotion service cen­ ered rich in culture and maritime Development’, Weihai aims to hold industries, such as medical equip­ city in northern Shandong, said: projects are an important part of ing investment projects and sign­ break, in efforts to better prevent Tech Industrial Development Shandong province to attract invest­ ter. resources, and they are looking to many cloud­based activities. From ment, information technology, “This event will have a deep influ­ the 2020 Conference of Great Busi­ ing deals, covering sectors of and control the pandemic and sta­ Zone, Leoni, a leading German ment and business, local officials The company started operation expand in these areas and more by communication, promotion, healthcare and tourism, high­end ence on the growth of Binzhou. ness Partners, with a group of them modern marine, healthcare, high­ bilize Shandong’s foreign trade, provider of cables and wiring sys­ said. in June, and it is expected to achieve collaborating with businesses release and signing to negotiation, equipment and cultural exchanges. “There are four projects to be being promoted. end equipment, new materials and Lyu said. tems to the automotive sector, The 2019 summit which was held output value of 350 million yuan worldwide. all can be done on the cloud,” said a They have a strong willingness to signed at the event. They are: a Dahan Construction Machinery, new­generation information tech­ The government reduced the exports its products to North in September last year introduced within this year. “Next, we will step On Tuesday, 16 branch venues of local official. invest in Shandong,” a local official beer­themed town in Bincheng dis­ a tower crane and construction ele­ nology at the conference. prices of gas and electricity and America. However, overseas 121 projects, worth about 231.8 bil­ up cooperation with local govern­ the second Conference of Great More than 160 guests from 12 said. trict with a total investment of 2 bil­ vator manufacturer, plans to build The provincial government said reduced or delayed tax payments orders were all canceled because lion yuan ($32.75 billion) in total. ments to set up a semiconductor Business Partners and Internation­ countries and regions including Moreover, Weihai plans to intro­ lion yuan ($280 million), a an intelligent green factory in Jin­ the conference is a major interna­ to ease financial pressures till the of the pandemic. After the event, the Shandong industry fund,” Zhang said. al Summit on Innovation and Japan, Germany and Canada will duce more than 50 key projects cov­ chemical industry park with an an and is seeking cooperative part­ tional event being held during a end of June. To help the company expand government built a team to review The fund will provide investment Development for Youth Entrepre­ attend the event. Among them, ering major infrastructure, new investment of 1.55 billion yuan, a ners. critical period of pandemic preven­ Transportation, catering, sales channels, the local govern­ regularly how these projects have to promising companies and pro­ neurs will be held across Shandong there will be a handful of big infrastructure, key industries and biomedical industrial park with an Covering 32,800 square meters, tion and control, and is of great sig­ accommodation, tourism, exhibi­ ment introduced leading con­ progressed and do their best to pro­ jects in the fields of semiconductors, province. names: Chinese dairy giant New industrial technological transfor­ investment of 1 billion yuan, and an the plant is expected to achieve an nificance for promoting high­ tions and cinemas badly affected struction machinery companies to vide help. big data, and the internet of things, In Weihai, which sits on the Hope Group Chairman Liu Yong­ mation to attendees via online and industrial base in Boxing county annual sales revenue of 1 billion quality investment, stabilizing by the outbreak are exempt from Leoni, who signed agreements and To date, 46 projects have been driving the development of the Weihai plans to introduce more than 50 key projects at the second shoreline of northeastern Shan­ hao, major Chinese corn oil produc­ offline platforms. with an investment of 1 billion yuan upon completion. foreign trade and promoting high­ property tax and land use tax in launched business together. signed with investment amounting technology industry and high­end Conference of Great Business Partners. PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY dong, a virtual meeting platform er Xiwang Group President Wang Dongying, nestled in Shandong’s yuan.” The province also plans to pro­ level opening­up. the first quarter of this year. The Jining National High­Tech to 114.35 billion yuan, and 29 have manufacturing in Shandong prov­ The province has also optimized Industrial Development Zone also started construction in cities across ince, he added. customs procedures, such as provided technical support and the province. Among these is the Another project is China’s first allowing companies to choose a helped Leoni recruit more skilled Ruigan (Jinan) sensor project, marine big data demonstration base, Financial backing starts to flow into region, helping local businesses recover from COVID­19 pandemic customs clearance mode, to workers. which was launched in Zhangqiu which is under construction in Qing­ improve the efficiency of foreign With all its efforts, in the first district of Jinan, capital of Shand­ dao, a coastal city in the province. trade and investment. quarter, foreign trade in the prov­ ong province in February. When completed, the base will fea­ By LIANG KAIYAN and services for businesses have put into construction under strict docking projects between enterpris­ During the outbreak, Shandong ince totaled 446.75 billion yuan “Thanks to the local govern­ ture a big data storage center, a [email protected] made the entrepreneurs feel more at prevention and control measures es and banks. hosted a series of online export ($63.13 billion), down 3.6 percent ment’s customized services, it only marine big data exhibition center and ease in running businesses in Shan­ for the epidemic, the commission Early this year, the Shandong local exhibitions for Eastern Europe, year­on­year. Export reached 237.17 took us three months to make an numerous business incubators. It will Investment from January to May dong, Lu added. said. financial watchdog issued a guide­ Pakistan and Thailand. To date, billion yuan, declining 4.5 percent acquisition overseas, paving the boost the growth of emerging indus­ in East China’s Shandong province Great Orange, a Shanghai­based Official statistics show that in April line on establishing the system for the province has organized 229 compared with same period last way for the project’s launch,” said tries in the city and generate profits, has re­entered positive territory, media company, settled its internet and May, investment in major pro­ organizing financial institutions to companies to connect with 120 year. Import business totaled Zhang Yuanjie, manager of the Rui­ said a local official. up 0.2 percent year­on­year creative cultural project in Zibo of jects at the provincial level surpassed provide companies with financing overseas purchasers. 209.59 billion yuan, down 2.6 per­ despite the impact of the COVID­ Shandong last year. 100 billion yuan, accounting for 23 service and guidance. The Department of Commerce cent year­on­year. 19 pandemic, according to the Chen Song, chairman of the com­ percent of the total projects planned Cooperating with related depart­ of Shandong province has provid­ The actual use of foreign capital Shandong Development and pany, said that Shandong has made this year. ments and local banks, the move is a ed financial support for exhibitors saw a slight increase of 0.88 percent Reform Commission. significant changes in the business To create a sound business envi­ part of the province’s effort to help online and offline, to help them year­on­year, reaching $3.18 billion. The achievement is attributed to environment after its effort in pro­ ronment, Shandong has rolled out companies improve their financial the province’s efforts in improving moting innovation in the last two policies ranging from broadening management and business operation, its business environment with meas­ years. market access for foreign investors and to promote the province’s finan­ ures including efficient project man­ “The progress of Shandong’s high­ and facilitating cross­border trade, to cial service for its real economy, local agement and supportive policies for quality development is rare opportu­ supporting its local small and medi­ officials said. businesses, local officials said. nity for every entrepreneur and um­sized enterprises with financing. The authorities have assigned the “We have seen changes in all fields investor,” Chen said. In May, the Department of Indus­ first batch of 5,760 advisers, more of the business environment in So far, Shandong has attracted a try and Information Technology of than 2,200 specialists and 1,806 Shandong in our 14 years of develop­ total of 25,000 major projects, with a Shandong Province issued a guide­ financial teams to provide 26,530 ment here,” said Lu Shudong, chair­ total investment of 18.6 trillion yuan From left: Quancheng Square is a landmark of Jinan, the capital city of East China’s Shandong province. Staff members at China National line on further improving its busi­ companies with financial guidance. man of the Shandong subsidiary of ($2.63 trillion), according to the Heavy Duty Truck Group work at the automaker’s plant in Shandong. PHOTOS PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY ness environment. These staff members will guide property developer Shimao Group. commission. According to the guideline, the each company according to their rea­ In recent years, Shandong has Focusing on ensuring investment province will implement a series of sonable financing needs through tar­ attached more importance to con­ stability, the province has set up a It has also called for expanding investment trends monthly, and In April, Shandong planned to cation and small town infrastruc­ supporting measures for optimizing geted measures and provide them structions of its business environ­ working group to guide investment productive investment via the cooperating with the statistics launch 495 new projects worth 659.5 ture. the emergency lending service, mak­ with tailored services including A staff member at Foton Motor Group’s Shandong plant tests a ment, Lu said. and enhance regulation and man­ assessment of key performance indi­ department to supervise project billion yuan, targeting investment in In May, a total of 796 major pro­ ing a list for industrial enterprises financing plans and information Qingdao Port in Shandong province is one of the 10 busiest ports welding robot. PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY The province’s improved policies agement of fixed asset investment. cators, monitoring and analyzing progress. grassroots medical institutions, edu­ jects in 16 cities in Shandong were with financing needs and facilitating about financial policies, they said. in the world. PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY