Mayor Pledges Greater Effort to Build Guangzhou Into Modern CityLin Shusen, mayor of Guangzhou, China's major gate to the outside world in its south, has vowed to make greater efforts to build Guangzhou into a modern city by attracting outstanding professionals from around the world.With a history of over 2,000 years, Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong Province, has realized 30,000 yuan (about US$3,614) in per capita gross domestic product (GDP). It is placed at the top among the ten major Chinese cities in terms of economic growth rate, the volume of inflow of overseas investment, and per capita disposable income of urban residents. In an interview with Xinhua, Lin expressed confidence that Guangzhou's economic vitality and efficient market performance mechanisms would be attractive to domestic and overseas investors. "More professionals are needed to build the software base, international biological island, science town, venture park for overseas Chinese students and photoelectric valley," Lin said. "Completion of these projects will turn Guangzhou into a paradise for high-tech research and industrialization of high-tech achievements," the mayor added. Lin said that his city had been working hard to create an environment conducive to attracting prominent professionals and the introduction of technology. The efforts include seminars on science and technology exchange for overseas Chinese students, and special funds to aid to overseas Chinese students who recommend advanced scientific achievements to Guangzhou, conduct academic exchanges in Guangzhou, or choose to serve Guangzhou for short periods of time or to start up businesses there. The mayor also promised to expand the service sector in Guangzhou and pay greater attention to sustainable development in a bid to build this southern Chinese city into a place ideal for doing business. According to Lin, Guangzhou expects to achieve an 11 percent economic growth rate in the tenth five-year-plan period 2001-2005) and realize more than US$6,000 in per capita GDP by 2005. The output of high-tech commodities will account for 25 percent of the city's total industrial output value, he said. |
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