Consciousness of Innovation Adds Fresh Vigor to Tianjin 　　According to a dispatch by Our Staff Reporters Ao Teng and Chen Jie from Tianjin, innovation is the much-talked about topic recently either among leaders or the common people, or among entrepreneurs or ordinary workers. The reporters learned from the department concerned that in January, the city industrial added value increased by 17 percent, financial revenue by 20.8 percent and export trade by 27.9 percent. 　　In recent years, Tianjin's economy has been operating in a sustained, rapid and healthy way, maintaining a "high growth and low inflation", under the circumstance without a bubble economy, the city has maintained a growth level higher than the national average for five years, its financial revenue has registered two-digit growth for six consecutive years, the city's face has experienced tremendous change, the living standards of urban and rural residents have improved remarkably, within five years, 300,000 households in urban district alone have moved into new homes, directly benefiting 1 million people. 　　In the face of this new situation and new possible challenges, the municipal Party committee organized discussion on the question of innovation to find out where they lagged behind and how to better suit the needs of the development of the market economy. Through discussion, people have come to know the existing problems. 　　Organization and personnel departments intensified reform efforts in the innovative spirit, and strove to create a new mechanism and environment for properly selecting and using personnel to promote the emergence of outstanding talents. Government functional departments deepened reform, improved their style of work and took the initiative to serve grass-roots units. The city's traffic management bureau introduced the system of providing round-the-clock services and has thus established a good image among foreign business people. 　　Large and medium-sized state-owned enterprises benefited most from the discussion on innovation. Centered around the goals of completing reform of state-owned enterprises and lifting them out of difficulties in three years, they have further intensified efforts to use advanced technology to transform traditional industries. Automobile groups, steel tube companies, pharmaceutical companies and a batch of other enterprises focused their efforts on technical innovation, developing new products, diversifying the market, concentrating talents and funds and turned out more than 200 kinds of new products which were well received by customers the moment they were put for sale on the market. 　　Institutions of higher learning and scientific research institutes of the city have, in the fields of electronic information, bio-technology, and modern medicine, new energy, mechatronics, new materials and environmental protection industries, organized a batch of new and high-tech enterprise groups. Last year, the value of the city's high-tech industries exceeded 50 billion yuan, reaching 18 percent of the city's total industrial output value. 　　Participants deeply felt the discussion on innovation has enabled Tianjin to grasp the opportunity, enhanced its vigor and will bring the city still greater development. HomeNews 1999-02-25 Page1 Full Story in Chinese