Innovation boosts Haidian's growth

Nation's scientific hub making plans to expand global reach, improve financing

Relying on its rich talent pool, extensive technological resources and favorable policies, Beijing's Haidian district is rapidly transforming into a globally influential hub for innovation.

"It is our mission to seize the opportunity and promote fast and balanced economic development driven by technological innovation," said Sui Zhenjiang, Party chief of Haidian district.

"Our target is to make the district into an innovation center with global influence by the end of 2015 and to act as a pioneer in China's effort to transform itself into an innovative nation," Sui said.

Haidian district in the northwestern area of Beijing city is home to more than 3 million people and forms the core of the Zhongguancun Science Park, the so-called Chinese Silicon Valley.

As one of the nation's foremost areas in terms of top-level talent and scientific achievements, Haidian boasts unparalleled advantages in technological innovation. The district is home to 33 renowned universities, more than 150 leading scientific institutes and 60 key national labs.

It is also home to the R&D headquarters of more than 100 multinational companies and 4,142 national-level high-tech enterprises, accounting for 10 percent of the total number of such enterprises in China.

"As the birthplace of Zhongguancun Science Park, we have always been doing our best to provide a good environment for the development of high-tech industries and indigenous innovation of enterprises," Sui said.

"In particular, we have taken the opportunity to carry out favorable policies issued by the central government and Beijing municipal government in the past few years and increased our support for innovation among enterprises."

The measures include formulating a series of special plans for industrial and high-end talent development, focusing more on innovation, commercializing technological achievements and allocating special government funds to support the development of enterprises.

Furthermore, the Haidian district government has also capitalized on the central government's strategy of building Zhongguancun Science Park into a national innovation hub through the synergy of scientific and financial resources.

As of the end of June, there were more than 1,900 different types of financial institutions and branches in Haidian district, including nearly 500 equity investment institutions managing assets totaling 197 billion yuan ($31 billion).

"All these have provided adequate financial support for technological innovation in Haidian," Sui said.

Three areas

To build Haidian into an innovation hub with global influence, the district's government has further revised the industrial and functional layout of the district. It proposed to divide the district into three areas for coordinated development.

A key part of the move is to develop the Zhongguancun Science City in the southern part of the district into an incubator of strategically important emerging industries. Occupying a total area of 75 square kilometers, the Zhongguancun Science City has already gathered a large number of renowned universities, scientific institutions as well as State-owned and high-tech enterprises.

By integrating resources in the area and optimizing city planning, the government will help enterprises commercialize technological achievements and develop strategically important emerging industries, which will allow for the efficient translation of innovation into productivity.

It is expected that 5 million square meters of land will be added for industrial use when the Zhongguancun Science City is largely completed in five years, and its output value will exceed 1 trillion yuan.

The central area of Haidian district is scheduled to be built into a demonstration zone for the integrated development of science, technology and culture.

Home to abundant cultural and historical resources, including the world-famous ancient royal gardens of the Summer Palace, the area will focus on preserving its ancient culture and is expected to develop into a top tourist destination within three to five years.

According to the plan laid out by the Haidian government, the northern area of the district will be built into a hub for a cluster of high-tech and eco-friendly industries.

The area occupies 226 square kilometers, 53 percent of Haidian's total area, and 27 sq km will be built for industrial use.

Since last year, when overall development started in the area, 600 famous companies have set up operations there.

According to the government's plans, the northern area will be built into the city's biggest outsourcing base for mobile Internet and software. A group of special industrial parks for satellite navigation, next-generation Internet, cloud computing and other emerging sectors will also be established and thrive in the area.

With an estimated investment of 150 billion yuan earmarked for development over the next five years, the northern area will become a new zone with a cluster of high-tech industries and a first-class ecological environment by 2020. At that time, it will have a total output value of more than 1 trillion yuan.

"With these efforts, we hope Haidian will become a new modern district featuring complete urban functions, a rational layout, high-end industries, cultural glamour and social harmony in five years," said Sui.