Nanjing’s Lishui district takes the lead in building high-quality manufacturing development pilot zone

A conference centered on the promotion of the construction of a high-quality manufacturing development pilot zone was held in Lishui district of Nanjing in eastern China’s Jiangsu province on March 24.

Scene of the conference on promoting the construction of a high-quality manufacturing development pilot zone in Lishui District of Nanjing in eastern China’s Jiangsu province. （Photo/People's Daily Online)

At the conference, Lishui took the lead in releasing the first high-quality regional development goal and roadmap for the manufacturing industry, aiming to build a demonstration model of high-quality development pertaining to the manufacturing industry in the city, the province and even the country. It supports the idea of turning the district into a new influential industrial innovation highland supported by a cluster of foreign-funded enterprises in China.

Government officials and representatives from universities, research institutes, new R&D institutions, enterprises, as well as heads and business representatives of overseas liaison offices in Nanjing all attended the meeting.

Lishui is a high-quality manufacturing development highland in south Nanjing, the region with the highest investment value in the Yangtze River Delta, and an influential economic hub in China, ranking 18th among China’s top 100 regions in terms of green development level.

In 2019, it was approved as the only high-quality manufacturing development pilot zone in Nanjing and is now speeding up to form a three-pillar development pattern, including the Nanjing Economic and Technological Development Zone and Jiangning Development Zone.

On March 19, Zhang Jinghua, secretary of the Nanjing Municipal Committee of the Community Party of China (CPC), delivered instructions on the district’s development.

As an important growth pole in south Nanjing, Lishui has achieved progress in all its work, especially in its manufacturing industry, which has been developing both quantitatively and qualitatively; it will have strong momentum moving forward, Zhang said.

Zhang hoped that the district would seize the opportunity to build a high-quality development pilot zone for the manufacturing industry. And by doing it could comprehensively optimize systems, mechanisms, and policies, while also creating more “Lishui manufacturing models.” These models could even be replicated in other regions. Moreover, the initiative aims to move fast with the project and be transformed into a pacesetter of regional high-quality development of the manufacturing industry.

Xue Fengguan, secretary of the CPC Lishui District Committee, said at the conference that Lishui will strive to create 15 demonstration models by focusing on green and intensive development, industrial clusters, technology and openness, so as to develop the manufacturing industry further and make the pilot zone known internationally.

Xue noted the district would strive to lead the province in promoting the high-quality development of the manufacturing industry in three years, and turn it into a new influential industrial innovation highland supported by a cluster of foreign-funded enterprises in China in five years.

Lishui is determined to be one of China’s top 20 districts in terms of comprehensive strength in 10 years, and will be able to set a good example in developing high-quality manufacturing industry across the country, the secretary added.

The district is expected to realize a GDP of over 100 billion yuan, generate revenue in the general public budget of 10 billion yuan, and make each of the three leading industries generate an output value of 100 billion yuan in two to three years, Xue said, adding that it will also double the number of large industrial companies, high-tech enterprises, and foreign-funded manufacturing enterprises by 2023 to achieve these aims.

He also noted that Lishui will take the lead in major projects, investment attraction, and business environment in the province.

The pilot zone shows the heavy responsibility of Lishui and the great vision of Nanjing. The city has issued 21 measures to support the district in building national and provincial pilot zones this year.

With reference to the operations of national development zones, the city will delegate enough approval authority to the district, streamline approval procedures and integrate various certificates into one document for land use planning, reform the “credit commitment system” on a trial basis, expand the range of “regional assessment,” establish a separate evaluation system of industrial enterprises, and give priority to land use planning index.

To stimulate more vitality, Nanjing will also support Lishui in launching innovative trials with the pilot free trade zone in the pilot zone and introduce major exhibition activities for the pilot zone.

Meanwhile, the district will roll out special policies, including granting an award of no more than 340 million yuan to major projects, coordinated development of industries, enterprises’ green development, innovation, digital transformation, scale expansion and other aspects.

Zhang Yun, mayor of Lishui district, said that favorable policies for the pilot zone, mainly reflected in flexible mechanisms, bountiful resources, and continued reform, will enable the pilot zone to move forward more steadily and farther.

Han Liming, deputy secretary of the CPC Nanjing Municipal Committee and the city’s mayor, fully affirmed the development achievements of the manufacturing industry in Lishui, saying that the sector shows a sound momentum and great potential.

Han hoped that the district would spare no effort to make breakthroughs in size of the manufacturing industry, as well as its extensive, intelligent, integrated and green development.

The construction of the pilot zone is aimed at empowering the manufacturing development sector in Lishui, and exploring a path for the high-quality development of the manufacturing industry in Nanjing, Han said, adding that the district should step up efforts to accumulate experience and set models related to institutional innovation, enterprise cultivation, open cooperation and business.

Thirteen projects with a total investment of 6.5 billion yuan were contracted to settle in Lishui District of Nanjing in eastern China’s Jiangsu province. （Photo/People's Daily Online)

Nanjing will spare no effort to back up the high-quality development of Lishui’s manufacturing industry, Han noted.

According to the mayor, the city will establish a city-level coordination mechanism to attract pilot policies and projects of the manufacturing sector and help solve problems related to the implementation of policies and advancing projects.

Nanjing will support reform and innovation in Lishui to delegate comprehensive approval authority to Lishui Economic Development Zone and support the district in deepening the reform of administrative examination and approval system to release more reform dividends, Han said.

The city will guarantee support factors, incorporate major manufacturing projects in the district into major provincial and municipal industrial projects, and accelerate the establishment of various industrial funds, Han noted, adding that the district is encouraged to hold influential exhibitions pertaining to leading industries to create sound atmosphere for the development of the manufacturing sector.

At the meeting, Weng Guojiu, secretary-general of the Nanjing municipal government, read out the instructions of main leaders from the municipal party committee and the approval of the pilot zone schemes.

Lishui introduced 10 measures to support entrepreneurs and 10 policies favorable for the high-quality development of the manufacturing sector in the district.

Thirteen projects with a total investment of 6.5 billion yuan were contracted to settle in the district. Six enterprises were granted with the award of 7.9 million yuan for high-quality development. At the same time, 10 people won the 2019 Top 10 outstanding entrepreneur award for their great contributions, and 10 enterprises won the award for paying over 100 million yuan in tax.

Besides, the advanced manufacturing industry base for Nanjing new R&D institutions has officially been put into operation.

By virtue of the international presence of People’s Daily Online, the conference was broadcast live in both Chinese and English and promoted in many countries.