City sets high bar for future growth

Guilin in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region has embarked on a new path in developing its key industries, urban planning and ecological civilization, local officials said.

The city greatly values the construction of industrial parks such as the Guilin high-tech industrial development zone and the Guilin economic and technological development zone.

The parks help the city fulfill its goal to create a good business environment for enterprises.

One of the cities with the highest concentration of universities and research institutes in the country, Guilin is home to 15 universities, 59 national-level scientific and technological innovation platforms, six research institutes and some 40 key laboratories.

The city has attracted more than 70 renowned enterprises including Huawei, BYD and Gree as well as a slew of high-end projects such as the Huawei Information Ecological Industry Cooperation Zone and Shenzhen Kaifa Technology's smartphone manufacturing base.

In 2020, the city's total industrial output value above designated size increased by 10.1 percent and the added value of Guilin's high-tech manufacturing industry surged by 22 percent year-on-year. The added value of the four key industries of electronic information, advanced equipment manufacturing, ecological food, and biomedicine went up 6.1 percent year-on-year.

Last year, Guilin added three national-level green factories, one national public service demonstration platform for small and medium-sized enterprises, and three national-level crowd-creation spaces.

By the end of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25), Guilin is expected to double its total industrial output value to 250 billion yuan ($38.46 billion) and tally average annual growth of 18 percent in industrial added value.

Chen Daichang, Party secretary of Lipu, a county-level city in Guilin, said Lipu has realized the reshaping and integration of its industrial structure.

Lipu has upgraded its five pillar industries of clothes hangers, food, hardware, paper, and pharmaceuticals into three clusters. The combined clusters are now categorized as clothes hangers, food and medicine, and photoelectric technology.

Lipu has introduced a group of companies such as Shenzhen Pengwei New Energy Technology and Zhuhai Hengtai Precision Machinery to form an optoelectronic industry chain.

Lu Darong, secretary-general of the Lipu hanger association, said the Lipu hanger industry has achieved high-quality development after nearly 30 years of development and growth.

The city has more than 320 hanger enterprises, including 87 backbone enterprises, 23 large-scale enterprises, 26 enterprises with self-export rights, and more than 30,000 employees.

The products have developed from a single wooden hanger to multiple varieties and there are now over 3,000 varieties in eight categories including wood, bamboo and flocking.

Guilin Esquel Textiles is a shining example of Guilin's sustainable industry development. Founded in 1978, Esquel has grown to become one of the largest cotton-shirt makers and exporters in the world.

Shiru, an experiential park built by Esquel in Guilin, is an innovative development model for environmental conservation, manufacturing and eco-tourism.

With the goal of low carbon emissions and energy efficiency, it showcases the balanced development of the textile and garment industry and the natural environment.

Shiru is divided into three areas, totaling 530,000 square meters. It provides approximately 1,400 employment opportunities in Guilin.

The textile technology exhibition area produces high-quality and special yarns, with an annual output of 6,000 tons of yarns.

In addition to installing the most advanced and intelligent production equipment available, the center also employs interdisciplinary engineering personnel for management and operation.

The garment craft area produces high-quality shirts, with an annual output of 3 million pieces of garments. The center also adopts the most advanced equipment and technology and is organically combined with lean management and intelligent manufacturing.

The comprehensive office area is built near the lake, and the building complex covers the innovation center, exchange and learning center and administrative office area, with a total area of about 8,000 square meters.

General Manager Zhang Wei added that Shiru also has special spinning and high-end garments and is a zone with zero sewage discharge.

"While ensuring product quality, the company will not burden the surrounding environment and communities and will not cause any pollution to the Lijiang River,"Zhang said. "This is in line with Guilin's sustainable development agenda."

"At the same time, Esquel has always believed industry can develop in harmony with resources and the environment."

Liu Juan, a garment technician who has worked in the company for five years, said she feels much closer to nature as an employee of Shiru's factory.

"I have a stronger sense of belonging and feel the pride of being a part of Esquel."

Since 2008, Esquel has cooperated with the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Kunming Institute of Botany to research the industrialization of traditional dye plants and the inheritance and protection of community dyeing culture.