Experts offer suggestions for NE China revitalization

The 2017 Forum on Revitalizing Northeast China opens in Changchun, capital of Jilin province, on Aug 19. [Photo/Xinhua]

Experts, scholars and government officials discussed issues on reform of State-owned enterprises and business cooperation in NE China at the 2017 Forum on Revitalizing Northeast China which opened on Aug 19 in Changchun, capital of Jilin province.

More than 20 experts shared their opinions on forming northeast metropolitan regions, increasing cooperation within NE China regions and encouraging an innovation-driven economy.

Liu Shijin, vice president of the China Development Research Foundation, said metropolitan regions can help promote economic growth, transformation and upgrading and innovation.

How to keep up with metropolitanization and use it to serve the development of the entire nation will be a challenge for NE China.

Liu suggested that local governments of NE China should encourage leading enterprises to settle their headquarters in the metropolitan regions and develop industries serving manufacturing upgrading.

Chang Xiuze, professor at the Chinese Academy of Macroeconomic Research, said that to promote NE China's economic development cooperation among NE China regions and coastal provinces such as Guangdong and Zhejiang should expand.

Innovation was also highlighted at the forum.

Deng Zhonghan, vice president of the China Association for Science and Technology, mentioned that the new generation of information technology is vital for the future of NE China and Web of Things-based big data should be promoted.

The transformation and upgrading of SOEs has long been an issue in NE China.

At the forum, Xia Feng, vice president of the China Institute for Reform and Development (CIRD), said improvements in SOEs' competitiveness and vitality is the key to an efficient transformation.

The forum was initiated by Northeastern University, the China Institute for Reform and Development and the Institute for Revitalization of Northeast China, and sponsored by the Changchun, Shenyang, Harbin and Dalian governments.