Located in the southern part of Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu Province, the Jiangning Economic and Technological Development Zone has attracted over 1,200 projects from 21 countries and regions since its establishment in 1992, and total overseas investment topped US$4 billion.

Sixteen of the world's top 500 corporations have entered the zone while domestic investment reached 4 billion yuan (US$481.92 million). In the first half of this year, the zone introduced 55 overseas investors and the contracted foreign funds amounted to US$320 million.

``Everyday there are four or five groups of potential investors visiting us, talking about establishing business contacts,'' said Wu Jufeng, deputy Party Secretary of the zone's Party Committee.

The zone is in trade talks for some huge projects that could produce over US$ 1 billion in single-project investment -- ``a sum that we dared not dream about in the past,'' said Wu.

Covering 6.8 square kilometers in 1992 when the zone was first launched, it has expanded to 70 square kilometers, and a total of 4 billion yuan has been injected to support its infrastructure systems.

Developed by the Jiangning county government with self-collected funds, the zone has become a major player in attracting foreign funds and a bridge in linking Jiangsu with the outside world.

The zone has built up seven pillar industries: the electronics & Information Technology, auto and parts, new construction materials, food, textiles, real estate and new education and scientific research.

The gross domestic product (GDP), foreign-exchange earnings and financial revenue have been growing on an annual rate of 40 percent in the zone.

``Total income from trade of tech and industrial products reached 21 billion yuan, up 39.4 percent from the same period last year. The GDP topped 5.3 billion yuan, up 50.4 percent; foreign exchange earnings increased 173.8 percent to hit US$230 million, while the financial revenue amounted to 909 million yuan, up 94.4 percent,'' said the zone offical.

The zone is now switching from introducing projects to creating projects, and great importance has been attached to the introduction of talents and industrial research and development (R&D) projects to ensure the zone heads towards sustainable development.

``We have invited world-famous designers to help us draw new plans on a new and higher standard and build Jiangning into a top-class development zone in China,'' said the zone official.

``We aim to build Jiangning into a knowledge renovation base for Jiangsu, and we have made measures to invite international corporations to bring their R&D centers here and encourage related projects take roots here,'' he added.

(By Ma Zhiping)

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