The Jiangsu provincial government has worked out a set of principals to guide implementation of its Yantze River development strategy, according to government sources.

The principals highlight overall development as the campaign to accelerate development of the areas along the Yangtze River will consist of a huge systematic project involving many aspects, including the utilization of the riverbanks, development of industries, construction of infrastructure, layout of urban areas and environmental protection.

Complicated elements, such as the local nature, economy, technology and society will be considered in a comprehensive manner during development planning so that integrated efficiency in all economic, social and environmental sectors can be achieved.

Planners will apply modern economic concepts and international standards to ensure the planning is scientific, open and far-sighted, according to the principals.

Local governments are urged to pay special attention to planning the distribution of production forces to ensure a co-ordinated development of industrial parks, urban communities, the infrastructure and ecological systems.

The strategy to develop riverline regions will be carried out step by step and calls for high efficiency and a high-standard usage of the unrenewable riverline resources. Riverlines that are well conditioned will first be developed with full concentration and repetitious construction and disorderly competition will be avoided.

The provincial government will control the development and utilization of riverbank resources and some riverlines will be preserved for later generations.

Efforts will also be made to reorganize port resources along the river. Public-use ports will be developed with priority at riverbanks with the best deep-water conditions and special ports will be built to serve the manufacturing industries along the river.

Large-scale and specialized industrial parks will constitute a major pattern of development in the eight cities to improve the intensity of investment and ratio between input and output of the projects.

Many areas south of the Yangtze River, after years of development, are now facing land, labor and riverbank resources shortages and production costs are rising as a result.

Regions north of the river, however, boast advantages of land and labor resources, and only 18 percent of their riverbanks have been utilized, providing great potential for the two sides to seek mutual development.

As an important part of the Yangtze River development stragety, the provincial government has therefore set up a co-ordinated development plan for both sides of the river to support each other with their own unique advantages.

Cities along the two sides of the Yangtze River are expected to make breakthroughs in developing industries, industrial parks and infrastructure in a co-ordinated way.

Cities south of the Yangtze River should actively encourage their enterprises to seek new development projects along the river and, in the meantime, help upgrade local economic development in areas north of the river, stipulate the principals.

To make full use of the valuable riverline resources, local governments should ensure that developing the riverbank areas helps promote growth of the inland areas.

In addition, Jiangsu must open itself to advanced production forces from the outside world to realize its river development strategy.

Facing two golden opportunities --the huge inflow of international capital and funds from South China -- Jiangsu will open itself up in an overall way to greet funds from overseas areas, Shanghai and south China.

International corporations and domestic conglomerates will be the major targets for Jiangsu in setting up joint ventures and other cooperation projects supported by high-level technologies and market shares.

Financial services and logistics projects will be introduced to provide necessary support to the riverside industries.

The development strategy will be fully open to private funds and all kinds of social investment entities will be invited to participate.

The principals highlight a creative development of the Yangtze River strategy and give full play to a new mechanism that stresses government guidance, market orientation and multiple-source investment.

Jiangsu will follow the successful experience of Suzhou industrial park to establish share-holding companies to guide joint investment and the develoment for all kinds of investors.

Sustainable economic and social develoment is the pre-condition for implementing the Yangtze River development stragety, according to the principals. Economic development must not sacrifice the ecological environment of the Yangtze River.

Construction projects and environmental-protection projects should be implemented simulaneously, and highly polluting projects will be forbidden.

Green and clean manufacturing technologies will be promoted and an emergency warning system will be incorporated to handle safety accidents, such as poisonous leaks.

The strategy pays special attention to the protection of riverline resources designed for ecological systems, daily uses and tourism. Ecological parks and green-belt regions will be put in place to help protect natural river landscapes and create a harmony between people and nature. It is expected that the entire region will reach a stage where people will lead a well-off life, the ecological systems will be well protected and the industries will be developed in a civilized manner.

(By Ma Zhiping)

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