Weifang enlivens its urban landscapes

High-tech zone aiming to foster pleasant, welcoming living environment for residents old and new

Weifang Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone in East China's Shandong province is committed to promoting a new type of people-centered urbanization, as part of its efforts to build a high-quality urban area.

To build an urban area with strong industries, famous culture, vitality and quality is an overall goal of the high-tech industrial zone, so it has resorted to careful construction, fine management and delicate development, according to local officials.

The urban development of the high-tech industrial zone has featured both demolition and construction, which has helped improve not only the appearance of the urban area, but also the living environment for residents.

So far this year, the high-tech industrial zone has invested a total of 4.9 billion yuan ($766.4 million) in implementing 212 urban renewal projects.

The zone plans to build a total of 16 pocket parks and repair bare land with nursery-grown plants this year. It's expected to provide more places of recreation for residents.

Zhao Jiankai, an official at the urban management center of Weifang Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone, said that several well-known domestic companies have been commissioned to design the new green landscapes with cultural aspects.

Over the past three years, the high-tech industrial development zone has invested 15.74 billion yuan in improving its urban appearance, with 152 urban renewal projects implemented, 94 pocket parks built, 60 intersections upgraded and 18 roads maintained.

To further meet the diversified consumption demand of its residents, the high-tech industrial zone has accelerated the establishment of business districts.

Over the past years, several core business circles have been built in the zone, and two shopping centers are under planning. They are expected to boost the upgrading of urban consumption and the development of an urban night economy.

With the improvement of its urban functions and appearance, Weifang Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone has experienced rapid growth in its population.

According to the results of the seventh census, Weifang increased its population by 300,000 in the past 10 years. Its average annual growth rate over that time was 0.33 percent, of which the high-tech industrial zone increased by some 199,700 people, with an average annual growth rate of 7.47 percent, ranking first in the city.

As it has achieved the initial shape of a modern urban area, Weifang Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone has shifted its focus from construction to management.

This year, the zone is launching a series of intensive management campaigns to accelerate city-industry integration.

Established in 1992, Weifang Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone was among the first batch of national-level high-tech zones.

The GDP of the high-tech industrial zone increased from 26.8 billion yuan in 2012 to 54.36 billion yuan in 2020.

Last year, the zone's high-tech industry achieved an output value of 116 billion yuan, which is 3.4 times that of 2012.

Using less than 1 percent of Weifang's land, it generated one-tenth of the city's GDP, one-sixth of the city's industrial added value and one-seventh of the city's tax revenue in 2020, according to local officials.

At present, the high-tech zone has made strides in developing industries of power equipment and the new-generation information technology, with emerging industries of aerospace, hydrogen energy, energy storage and magnetic technology poised for development.

Shandong province has seven enterprises with a market value of more than 100 billion yuan, two of which are from the high-tech zone, according to local government.