China will strengthen ties with foreign partners to revitalize
the economy of northeast China and to strengthen cooperation
throughout Northeast Asia, said Vice Premier Zeng
Peiyan on Saturday at the International Conference on
Revitalizing Northeast China and Promoting Regional
Cooperation.
"The world has voiced support of China's strategy to revitalize
the traditional industries in the northeast region. Officials and
business leaders from many countries are seeking opportunities for
cooperation," said Zeng.
The two-day conference, held in the port city of Dalian in Liaoning
Province, was sponsored by the National Development and Reform
Commission and the State Council's Office for Revitalizing
Northeast China. It was suggested by Premier Wen Jiabao when he met
with the leaders of the ASEAN nations, Japan and the Republic of
Korea last October.
Participants included high-ranking officials and experts from a
dozen countries, international organizations and renowned
transnational companies.
With the participation of neighboring countries, there has been
encouraging progress in regional business cooperation, according to
the vice premier.
Despite having ample resources and being an established base of
heavy industry, northeast China has fallen behind in economic
development in recent years.
Numerous preferential policies have been put in place to
encourage foreign partners to take part in the industrial
restructuring of the region by such means as annexation of or
joint-stock holdings in state-owned enterprises (SOEs), especially
those in equipment manufacturing, shipbuilding, auto manufacturing
and petrochemicals.
The policies include exemption from agricultural taxes in Jilin
and Heilongjiang
provinces and value-added tax reform in some industries.
Commercial banks are given greater flexibility in handling
non-performing assets and loans to SOEs.
Zeng said an improved environment and healthy market
system?are needed for foreign investment.
The country has started 160 high-tech projects since last year
to restructure and upgrade traditional industries in the region,
said Zhang Guobao, vice minister of the National Development and
Reform Commission and director of the State Council's Office for
Revitalizing Northeast China.
Zhang said other plans are made or under discussion, such as
master plans for the three provinces in the region and the scheme
to build Dalian into an international navigation center.
Infrastructure such as power supply and communications tops the
list of the commission's key tasks, said Zhang.
Zhang stated that the Ministry of Railway has signed an
agreement with the provinces to build two new railway lines. One is
a passenger railway line from Harbin in Heilongjiang Province to
Dalian in Liaoning Province.
Foreign and private investment in the projects is encouraged,
Zhang said.
(China Daily September 27, 2004)