Beijing to Further Develop Central Downtown DistrictA blueprint has been initially worked out to speed up the development of the East Urban District of Beijing, the most prosperous downtown district of the Chinese capital.Chen Ping, head of the district, made the announcement at a seminar focusing on the development of the East Urban District in the new century which is an important activity on the agenda of the "China Beijing International Hi-Tech Industrial Week." During the coming decade, the district will step up efforts to boost two main industries: the modern services industry and hi-tech industry, Chen said. Moreover, the district will also work to further develop three special urban areas, namely the Wangfujing commercial area, the East Second-ring Road communication and commercial area, and a cultural and tourist area featuring the Yonghegong Lama Buddhist Temple. To achieve comprehensive development, the district will also try to improve its infrastructure, refurbish the old buildings, and boost technological innovation. There are nearly 700 overseas-funded enterprises running business in the district, including many famous multinationals such as Nokia. According to statistics, the district's GDP last year amounted to 15.3 billion yuan (1.84 billion US dollars), and its consumer retail sales exceeded 10 billion yuan. |
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