Support teams ensure speedy progress on high-tech projects

Convenient solutions for companies crucial to long-term, high-quality development

Weifang Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone in East China's Shandong province is to spare no effort in supporting key innovative business projects to maintain long-term growth, according to local officials.

Support teams formed by government officials have been assigned the responsibility to oversee key projects in the zone to ensure that any difficulties in the construction process can be solved in an effective and efficient manner.

Companies such as heavy-duty engine developer Weichai Group, and acoustics solutions and smart hardware provider Goertek are some of the beneficiaries of the zone's latest efforts.

The zone established government service teams in February to support a new energy project by Weichai and Goertek's new smart hardware production industrial park. Team members visited the construction sites of each project to ensure the right amount of support was provided. Support teams ensure speedy progress on high-tech projects
Under the latest mechanism, meetings are organized for each project weekly so that companies can raise problems with officials, with all related government departments required to provide feedback.

"We set a rule that government departments must give their feedback to companies as quickly as possible," said Sun Wenfeng, director of the zone's economic development bureau.

In a meeting in April, Weichai raised concerns that two telecommunications base stations and their auxiliary facilities may affect traffic in the industrial park.

The service team arranged several discussions with related parties such as the telecom service provider and the zone's urban planning bureau to solve the problem as quickly as possible.

"Once we raise our problems, the zone will come up with solutions quickly. In many cases, we can get solutions in a few hours," said Wang Haiping, Party secretary of Weichai's project progress office. Support teams ensure speedy progress on high-tech projects
Supported by the zone's government, Goertek's smart hardware industrial park project was able to start 80 days earlier than planned.

Ji Qingyun, a high-tech zone official who is in charge of the project's progress, said communication between them and the government has become more efficient due to the weekly meetings, and has meant that project developers do not have to go to the government at every stage of the construction process.

Goertek's smart hardware industrial park has been recognized as one of 10 key projects in Weifang by the city government. Construction of the first phase is expected to complete by the end of October.

Yin Tingting contributed to this story