12 Thursday, July 9, 2015 High-tech report DAILY A JOINT PUBLICATION OF CHINA DAILY AND WEIFANG HIGH-TECH INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT ZONE High-tech Weifang wants global appeal zone adds two new Industrial zone is looking to tap potential of worldwide economic restructuring development By ZHUAN TI in the global spotlight. In a list of the [email protected] top 500 Chinese enterprises released by Fortune Magazine in 2014, Wei- park projects The Weifang High-Tech Industrial chai Group ranked 98th, topping all Development Zone is pressing ahead the engine manufacturers. with its objective of “going global”. For a high-tech zone, innovation By WANG QIAN The high-tech zone in the city of Wei- is always the driver of development. [email protected] fang in province, which is The Weifang High-Tech Industrial among the first 54 State-level high- Development Zone has been intro- Two new economic develop- tech zones, is sealing more interna- ducing international technologies ment parks were established in tional cooperation projects, bringing and projects to the companies and the Weifang High-Tech Industrial in advanced technologies from over- institutions in the zone in recent Development Zone on July 1, in a seas and creating an international years. bid to promote its third entrepre- living and working environment. Blue Wisdom Valley, an innovation neurship course and boost innova- “An open economy should park inside the high-tech zone that tive development. embrace all the trends and challeng- accommodates the zone’s incubation The Xingang economic develop- es of the global economy. To reach programs, opened in April. The park ment zone and Xinchang econom- for the goal of ‘economy internaliza- offers high-tech startups compre- ic development zone should speed tion’, a variety of strategies should hensive services from academic insti- up the parent zone’s project con- be devised in response to the ever- tutions, the local government and An overview shows a Shengrui Corporation production line. PHOTOS PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY struction and investment promo- changing economic landscape,” said companies. These incubation pro- tion, and make it a demonstration Pan Haoquan, director of the inter- grams, with joint efforts from Peking zone for transformation develop- national cooperation office in the University, Tsinghua University and ment, said Wang Xianling, deputy high-tech zone. the Chinese Academy of Sciences and secretary of the CPC Weifang com- He added that the high-tech using advanced technologies from mittee and secretary of the CPC zone is eyeing both the domestic the United States, Germany, Israel Weifang High-Tech Development and global markets, trying to grab and many other countries, aim to Zone Committee. the opportunities provided by the fuel technology transfers and attract The Xingang economic develop- nation’s strategic development plan professional services such as intellec- ment zone is designed to develop and global economic restructuring. tual property evaluations. The park modern industries, including new is also working with Tus-Holdings, materials, equipment manufactur- Economy and innovation a leading operator of university sci- ing, sophisticated manufacturing, Weichai Holdings Group, based in ence parks in China; an angel fund and remanufacturing. Based on a the high-tech zone, is one of China’s from Tsinghua Entrepreneur and biomedicine industrial park and biggest automobile parts and equip- Executive Club; and other interna- an international life health indus- ment manufacturers. Founded in tionally renowned funds, to develop Foreign staffwork on a Kion hydraulics production line at Foreign teachers at the Weifang High-Tech Industrial trial park, the Xinchang economic 1946, the group has been focused incubation programs overseas. Weichai Holdings Group. Development Zone read the latest High-tech report. development zone will strive to on going global for many years. It Shengrui Transmission, located develop life health and environ- started by exporting products, then in the high-tech zone, is the creator ment-friendly sectors. Optoelec- steadily developed a retail network of the groundbreaking 8AT trans- tronics and intelligent equipment and internationally recognized mission for passenger . The manufacturing sectors will also be brand. Weichai Group made its first company has adopted a bold innova- included in the two zones. foray into cross-border mergers in tion mode that integrates industry The two zones are expected to January 2009, when it bought the counterparts and academic insti- become new economic growth French engine producer Moteurs tutions from around the world. points by the 13th Five-Year period Baudouin. The group’s businesses Its design inspiration comes from (2016-2020). further expanded after that. Germany, engineering technologies In early 2012, Weichai Group from the United Kingdom and pro- Han Bing contributed to the story. made a 374-million euro ($413.7 cess equipment from South Korea. It million) deal for a 75-percent stake has also set up research and develop- in the world’s largest luxury yacht- ment branches in China, Germany maker Ferretti. In September 2009, and the UK. the group’s subsidiary, Weichai Pow- Han Haijian, director of the busi- Community services at the Weifang High-Tech Industrial Development Zone strive to meet international standards. er, signed a strategic partnership ness sector at the high-tech zone’s agreement with the German forklift economic development bureau, said ages leading companies to step up China Daily — the China Daily High- them to see Weifang’s latest develop- producer Kion. the zone has set companies such as their efforts to acquire imported tech report — was published for the ments.” is a major sponsor Weichai Group as its model, promot- technologies. first time in the zone on July 1. The high-tech zone is also improv- of the Formula One racing ing various ways of international These “going global” efforts have ing its infrastructure by adopting a team. On April 11, 2013, the company cooperation, including strategic Foreign-friendly been welcomed by foreign employ- “smart city” system to offer better cemented its partnership with the investment, cross-border merging The high-tech zone also provides ees in the zone. financing, security, logistics, educa- Italian carmaker by signing a stra- and joint development. With the superior living and working environ- “The English newspaper is very tion and other services. It has con- tegic alliance with it on technology local government taking the lead ments for its foreign residents. Much helpful for us to understand more sultancy, legal and translation agen- development, brand promotion and and industrial associations offering of the text on public signs, office about the high-tech zone,” said Joey cies of international level, as well as market exploration over four years. support, businesses are carrying out signs and information billboards in Lam, a Canadian teaching at the international schools. Weichai Group’s endeavors and more cooperative projects with their the zone is multilingual. The first international department of Wei- Part of an artist’s impression moves to internalize further sharpen international counterparts. English newspaper page produced fang No 1 Middle School. “My stu- Liu Jie and Song Yihang contrib- of the Xinchang economic its competitive edge and also put it The high-tech zone also encour- by a State-level high-tech zone with dents also read it. It is also good for uted to the story. development zone. International journalists share impressions of industrial complex

Editor’s note: A delegation of journalists “Weifang is “In 2012, I “The zone has “For me, it is from 13 international media outlets visited not a me- visited Silicon great infra- the first time the Weifang High-Tech Industrial Develop- ment Zone on July 2. They viewed the inno- tropolis, but Valley in the structure. It to see such vation center of 3D printing technology, the software park and a number of local com- it has many United States. has an environ- a developed panies including Weichai Holding Group, competitive When I went ment in which industrial a national leading manufacturer of power- trains. Impressed by the development of the companies. through the people like to zone. The industries and companies they saw, several It’s not easy website of this start up their zone has shared their thoughts with China Daily. for a Chinese company to pur- high-tech zone, I couldn’t say it business with innovative ideas. I advanced equipment and the chase a company from a country has reached the level of Silicon learnt the zone was established infrastructure here is good. “The high-tech traditionally known for its manu- Valley, but it is heading that way in 1991, and now it ranks 25th At the software park, I was zone is a good facturing industry, like Germany, and there is a lot of potential. among China’s high-tech indus- impressed by the animation initiative. It is and Weichai did it. There is no question about its trial development zones. There production. The local not only good The software park provides many talent or skill levels. must be some great reasons for government has given great for the city but preferential policies and conve- I would like to see the Weifang the zone reaching this aim in less support to boost the animation also for the nience for local small companies children and the younger genera- than 30 years, such as the talent sector.” local people, and the sound facilities. I also and startups, which caters to the tion exposed to the software park Muhammad Adnan, editor at The Balochistan because it definitely creates a lot Point, Pakistan national innovation strategy. regularly, so they will be inspired learnt that the zone has good of employment opportunities to try something they would not innovative platforms, like the within the city itself, so that local It was my first time to see a 3D do in schools, because we need to wisdom valley and bases devel- To comment or contribute, people do not have to go outside printer working with my own please e-mail wangqian2@ realize that it is the next genera- oped by universities. These in- the city to look for jobs. The 3D eyes, and it was my first time to chinadaily.com.cn tion that will carry this forward, novative platforms are important or call +86-531-58775018. printing is so amazing and so up- taste a 3D-printed cookie, which not the generation that is work- for a high-end zone. They help to-date. The technologies here are was as delicious as those made ing right now.” the zone create a spillover effect, completely revolutionary. That is with traditional techniques.” which will attract more enter- Tharaka Ruwansiri Basnayaka, photographer at Bae In-sun, journalist at Aju Business Daily, a good concept for Shandong.” Ceylon Today, Sri Lanka prises to invest in the zone.” South Korea Ayesha Shakya, producer at Nepali Times, Nepal Ou Su-Hua, editor at United Daily News