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Shaanxi Vows to Revitalize Itself Through Science, Technology
Northwestern China's Shaanxi Province Sunday said it plans to revitalize itself through science and technology.
Fan Xiaomei, a leading provincial official of the province, said the 36 million people in the province have been deeply encouraged by the central government's decision to develop the country's vast impoverished west, which includes the province and nine other provinces and regions.
"With our unique geographic position, rich natural resources and strong capability in research and education, we are confident that Shaanxi will be prosperous again in the next century."
Emperor Shihuang's magnificent terra-cotta warriors and horses unearthed in the province, described as the seventh wonder of the world, is just one of the several reminders of the province's past glories.
The province was once the political heart of 11 ancient Chinese dynasties, including the Qin Dynasty, founded by China's first Emperor Shihuang, the Han Dynasty, and Tang Dynasty.
Fan told the reporters that 4,800 scientists and scholars will meet next month in the province's capital Xi'an to discuss the latest development in sciences and the strategy to develop the west.
"Shaanxi has decided to promote high-tech industries by relying on science and technology, structural innovations and giving full play to the market". The province is home to 54 institutes of higher learning and about 275 research institutes.
The province will also encourage the development of passenger plane industry, high-tech farming industry in arid areas, and build the province into one of the country's key energy and petrochemical industrial centers, said Fan.
With its revenue totaling 11 billion yuan (about US$1.3 billion), tourism industry will possibly be another growing sector of the province's economy as Shaanxi is abundant in tourism resources.
"We are relatively strong in machinery, electronics, pharmaceutical and military industry".
There are 1,740 state-owned or controlled industrial firms in the province with total assets valued at nearly 220 billion yuan (US$26.5 billion).
Xi'an, the largest city and communications hub in northwest China, is capable of providing commerce, trade, communications, financial and information services for the whole northwestern part of China.
She said the provincial economy has been growing faster than the national average in the past four years. Investment in fixed assets has been increasing sharply during the past two years.
"The most amazing good news is a growing number of professionals coming to Shaanxi to start business, in a sharp contrast to a brain drain in the past several years," said Fan.
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