Jilin races ahead with bullet trains, satellites

Province is home to many leaders in manufacturing sector, as well as industrial research institutes

A new high-speed bullet train that started service in late September - linking Beijing and Shanghai and running at a maximum speed of 350 kilometers per hour - was a watershed moment for the country, as well as a province at the heart of a host of change.

CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles, a participant in the project, is also taking its own growth into the fast track, by sharpening its technological prowess.

China used to rely heavily on the imports of key parts and control systems for high-speed train production, but the situation has now turned around completely.

That's with a wealth of proprietary intellectual property coming from China, said Luo Zhaoqiang, a senior engineer at an electric-multiple-unit manufacturing center of the company, headquartered in Changchun, Jilin.

Within five years, Luo's team has made more than 200 research and development achievements, for which 11 patents have been granted.

Their R&D efforts contributed to China's rising status globally in the production of high-speed trains.

Of 254 industry standards developed worldwide, those from China account for some 84 percent.

To date, the number of passengers traveling by Chinese high-speed rail has surpassed 6 billion.

As a calling card for China's manufacturing industry, high-speed trains have been exported to a growing number of countries.

At the same time, Chinese builders are advancing a batch of high-speed rail projects in foreign countries including Laos, Thailand and Hungary.

China-made high-speed rail projects now cover Asia, Europe, America and Africa.

CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles is the epitome of Jilin's upgraded manufacturing industry.

As a traditional industrial center in China, the province is home to many leaders in the manufacturing sector, as well as industrial research institutes.

China's first locally-made, high-resolution commercial satellite, the Jilin 1, which was launched at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in October 2015, was named after the province, because its R&D was conducted there.

The satellite, developed by Chang Guang Satellite Technology Co, has more than 90 applications in a variety of sectors, including agriculture and irrigation projects.

It can also help environmental monitoring, smart city construction, land resource surveys and mapping, and in the supervision of key projects.

Zhong Xing, chief designer of Jilin 1, said the company's remote sensing big data research center studied how satellites can benefit the public.

"Our team is made of the post-1980 and 1990s generations - it was hard to imagine that five years ago people tended to think of Beijing or Shanghai when it came to satellite research," he said.

"Now Jilin is their choice to realize their dream."

The company aims to launch 60 satellites into orbit by 2020.

In addition to upgraded manufacturing, Jilin is also reaping a harvest with its modern agriculture.

With its abundant agricultural resources, Jilin is working to create an international food trade chain.

Meihekou, in southeastern Jilin, is reportedly the world's largest pine nut distribution hub in the world.

Fall is Meihekou's busiest season, when almost all major pine nut producers in China - as well as from other countries including Russia, Mongolia and Pakistan - ship their yields to the city for processing and then export the final products to more than 40 countries and regions.

The city carries a great deal of weight in pricing in the world pine nut trade, industrial insiders said.

In the east of Jilin, the Yanbian Korean autonomous prefecture has become a global processing center for the walleye pollack, a fish species of the cod family, creating an annual output value of 700 million yuan ($105.90 million).

Taonan in western Jilin has established a reputation as a chilli production hub, with exports to countries such as Germany, Malaysia and South Korea. About 80 percent of chillies imported to South Korea is from the city.

In close proximity to the province's advanced agriculture is its well-preserved environment.

Changbai Mountain in the province is the source of the Yalu, Songhua and Tumen rivers. The mountain is home to various forest species of flora, from those in the temperate zone to polar plants.

The mountain's forest coverage is estimated at 87 percent and the density of negative oxygen ions in the air - thought to provide health benefits - is 500 times higher than in ordinary cities.

More efficient industries and an improved ecosystem have created a better residential environment for the local people.

Li Jiaxin, 69, a local resident, said her hobby is paragliding.

"I am longing for something exciting in my retirement," she said, adding that she had set a goal to acquire paragliding skills within a year.

"I felt like a bird when I could finally fl y the glider," Li said. "It's such a great era for people to go for their dreams, no matter how old you are. I so appreciate taking up this challenge."

Chen Meiling and Liang Kaiyan contributed to this story.

(China Daily 10/19/2017 page10)