CHINA DAILY | EDITION Thursday, May 13, 2021 | 5 PATH TO GLORY

Editor’s note: This year, the Communist Party of China is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its founding. China Daily is publishing a series of stories looking at the tremendous changes that have occurred in provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities under the leadership of the Party. They also include stories of the people and places that have left indelible marks in the Party’s path to glory.

China­Europe cargo service trains arrive at the China­Germany Equipment Manufacturing Industrial Park in Shenyang, Liaoning province, in March 2018. PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY Liaoning trains sights on better growth

As a land and sea gateway, province eyes stronger cooperation with Japan, South Korea and other RCEP nations

By WU YONG in Shenyang aspects, and it has accumulated great poten­ omy, accelerate industrial revitalization LIAONING and ZHANG XIAOMIN in Dalian, Liaoning tial for high­quality development. and promote the high­quality development Population: 42.59 million Statistics show that the province’s GDP of manufacturing. It will also upgrade its Area: 148,600 square kilometers iaoning province will promote a increased from 4.14 billion yuan in 1952 to industrial structure through the transfor­ higher level of opening­up and 2.5 trillion yuan in 2020, and its total volume mation and upgrading of established build a new frontier for the proc­ of import and export increased from $90 brands, in­depth development of original ess during the 14th Five­Year Plan million in 1953 to $94.5 billion last year. brands and the cultivation and expansion Lperiod (2021­25), said , Party During the 13th Five­Year Plan period of new brands. Liaoning chief of the province. (2016­20), Liaoning’s economic strength Other plans include upgrading its indus­ “As China’s opening­up has reached a new steadily improved despite unprecedented trial base, modernizing industrial chains, stage, different regions should focus on areas challenges, provincial Governor Ning fostering and expanding clusters of with their own characteristics,” Zhang said. said while making a government report to advanced manufacturing industries, accel­ “For Liaoning, on one hand, we should maxi­ the provincial congress on Jan 28. erating the transformation of manufactur­ mize the cooperation between China, Japan In the past five years, Liaoning’s GDP grew ing in Liaoning into intelligent and South Korea; on the other hand, we need at an average annual rate of 3.2 percent. manufacturing and improving the quality GDP of Liaoning To achieve to open the new northeast land and sea chan­ Urban and rural personal income also and efficiency of the economy and its core Unit: trillion yuan nel to Mongolia and Russia.” increased 5.3 percent and 7.7 percent, respec­ competitiveness, according to the outline. high­quality 2.35 2.49 2.51 Liaoning, which faces Japan and South tively. “In order to achieve high­quality develop­ 2.04 2.17 development, Korea across the Yellow Sea, is the only dual The Shenfu New Area became China’s first ment, we should strengthen independent we should land and sea gateway in Northeast China. demonstration area for reform and innova­ innovation, adhere to innovation­driven It is also one of the most convenient tran­ tion. Some major foreign­funded projects, development and strive to enhance core strengthen sit hubs in Northeast Asia. including BMW’s new factory in Shenyang, competitiveness,” Zhang said. independent Take the Japan­Dalian­Central Asia trans­ were launched. Since its official establishment in April 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 portation channel for motor vehicles as an In recent years, Liaoning has made 2017, the Liaoning FTZ has noted the prov­ innovation, example. remarkable achievements in economic and ince’s characteristics and made some institu­ Total value of imports adhere to After the signing of the Regional Compre­ trade cooperation with Japan, South Korea tional innovations. Thus, more enterprises and exports hensive Economic Partnership agreement, and Russia by attracting more investment, are benefiting from its reform and develop­ Unit: $billion innovation­ the Dalian Area of the China (Liaoning) Pilot building platforms to foster strong relations ment. 114.4 105.3 driven deve­ Free Trade Zone initiated the transport and strengthening cooperation with indus­ Sources from the provincial commercial 86.5 94.4 94.5 lopment and channel in February. trial parks from the three countries. department show that within four years, It now takes 30 days for a car made in Last year, for example, the China­Japan more than 63,000 enterprises have regis­ strive to Japan to be shipped to Dalian Port by sea (Dalian) Regional Development Coopera­ tered to open at the zone, bringing addition­ enhance core and transported to Kazakhstan by rail via tion Demonstration Zone, which mainly al capital of 630 billion yuan. the Uygur autonomous region. focuses on high­end manufacturing equip­ Last year, the annual revenue of four types 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 competitive­ In the past, it took more than 80 days via ment and new materials, was approved to be of key enterprises in the zone reached 281.9 Sources: Liaoning Provincial Bureau of Statistics, ness.” the Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea and established in Dalian’s Jinpu New Area, Chi­ billion yuan and a profit of 19.7 billion yuan. Shengyang Customs District Russia. na’s 10th State­level new area. These figures are double what they were CHINA DAILY Zhang Guoqing, Sources from the Liaoning commercial In addition, the Liaoning section of the when the zone was established. Party chief of department said the province is sorting out China­Russia eastern gas pipeline, a joint Zhang said that Liaoning will find its own Liaoning province more potential opportunities for coopera­ project of the China National Petroleum Cor­ position, tap the potential of domestic tion with RCEP countries, which are impor­ poration and Russia’s Gazprom, was put into demand, strengthen project support and tant economic and trade partners and operation. make its contribution to the building of a major import and export markets for the The country’s outline of the 14th Five­Year new development pattern. province. Plan and its long­term objectives through “We will create a new situation of revitali­ In 2019, Liaoning’s import and export vol­ 2035 indicate that new breakthroughs will zation and development with a good busi­ ume with the 10 ASEAN members, plus be made in the revitalization of the North­ ness environment, strong innovation ability, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zea­ east region. an excellent regional pattern, a beautiful land was 329.5 billion yuan ($50.9 billion), The 14th Five­Year Plan period marks the ecological environment, sufficient vitality in accounting for 45.4 percent of the province’s beginning of China’s march toward its sec­ opening­up efforts and a high happiness total. ond centennial goals and will serve as a key index,” Zhang said. Liaoning is an important industrial base period for Liaoning to achieve comprehen­ in China. Through decades of development, sive revitalization, Zhang said. Zhou Xin contributed to this story. the province has formed a strong support According to the province’s outline for base for resources, industries, science and the period, Liaoning will continue to focus Contact the writers at education, talent, infrastructure and other its economic development on the real econ­ [email protected]