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A cluster of villages two decades ago, Beijing ETown now has thriving industrial and service sectors and engagement in the emerging of the Beijing-Tianjin-Heibei economic rim.
"ETown tries to develop new industries by focusing on commercial use of scientific discoveries and popularization of technologies," said an official of the administrative committee.
One example is Beijing Yizhuang In Vitro Diagnostics Technology Co.
It has a complete chain ranging from R&D to pilot-scale experiments of its products.
The company is a popular venue for small and micro businesses and scientific research institutes to do vitro diagnostics experiments.
"It is creative to combine activities in the secondary and tertiary sectors and possibly diversified development models will come into being," said Cao Jianrong, general manager of the company.
Established in 1992, ETown in southeast Beijing is now home to more than 700 large companies.
Some 80 Fortune 500 companies including Mercedes-Benz, GE, Nokia and Bayer have their offices or production facilities in the national-level economic technological development area. The area has attracted 300 billion yuan ($49 billion) in investment since its establishment.
Products made in ETown in 2013 had a combined value of 90 billion yuan.
Its overall industrial output and tax revenues have increased at an annual average rate of more than 40 percent over the past decade.
Innovation is a crucial factor in its industries that include electronic information, biomedicine, auto manufacturing and equipment.
Top Grade Healthcare Co in ETown produced the world's first linear particle accelerator that can accelerate the electron beam to energies of 45 MeV. Used in radiation therapy for cancer patients, it has received approval of the US Food and Drug Administration.
The first deafness gene detection chip in the world was also made in ETown. It is used to discover deafness genes to reduce birth rates of the deaf and help prevent people with such genes from activating them.
ETown also boasts 415 high-tech companies and more than 300 R&D organizations.
Located in southeastern Beijing, it plans to join hands with Zhongguancun Haidian Science Park in northern Beijing to build Beijing as a global innovation center.
The electronic information industry in ETown focuses on R&D of core technologies, system integration and advanced manufacturing closely related to R&D.
Its automobile industry involved overall design of automobiles, automotive electronics, engines and final assembly.
Some companies in the area will further center on production of new-energy autos and charging poles.
Economic rim
ETown also plays a role in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei economic rim.
China's President Xi Jinping called for integrated and coordinated development among Beijing and its two neighboring areas Tianjin and Hebei after hearing work reports delivered by officials at a symposium in early 2014.
The two municipalities and one province will set up a trilateral economic sphere in the Bohai Bay area, modeled in part on the cities around the Yangtze and Pearl river deltas, now the most developed areas in China.
Beijing JiajieMeijin Tech Co was among the first companies in ETown to embrace the trilateral economic development. "We built industrial parks in Tianjin and Hebei even before the vision of coordinated development among Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei," said Ren Tong, general manager of the company.
He and executives from other companies established the Beijing ETown Regional Cooperation Investment Co this year and went to Tianjin and Hebei to research and pave the way for trilateral cooperation.
Some companies in ETown closed production lines that failed to meet the governmental environment protection standards.
According to the Etown website, Foxconn moved its paint spraying line to the Binhai Tanggu Marine High-Tech Development Area in Tianjin, where it employs nearly 300 locals.
The first congress of the regional cooperation branch of the ETown Corporation Association was held in March.
"The branch can help businesses overcome difficulties as they participate in the trilateral development," said Sheng Li, deputy director of Etown Administrative Committee at the congress.
Ecological industry
The ecological industry is another focus of development of ETown.
Centered on cleaner technologies, products, core equipment and final assembly, the ecological industry can reduce pollution and conserve resources.
The economic and technological development area also spurs development and use of new energy.
Rooftop solar photovoltaic devices in the region generate 30 million kWh a year, enough to provide electricity to 60,000 consumers.
Because of the devices, carbon emissions in ETown have been reduced by 20,000 tons annually.
Additionally, the ETown administrative committee encourages companies to make good use of rainwater and recycled effluent.
The industrial output of ETown accounts for 18 percent of Beijing's total, yet it uses just 6 percent of the city's industrial water.
songmengxing@chinadaily.com.cn
