Yhe country's northeast has developed four technology-intensive industries in the past two decades, according to the Ministry of Science and Technology.

The four sectors include equipment manufacturing, electronics and information technology, pharmacy and new materials.

The ministry is holding a special display at the ongoing Shanghai International Industry Fair 2003 to showcase these high-tech industries in Northeast China -- the country's traditional heavy industry hub.

The exhibits include industrial robots made by Shenyang Institute of Automation, EC120 helicopter manufactured by Harbin Aircraft Industry Group in Heilongjiang, and a 300MW nuclear reactor pressure vessel produced by China First Heavy Industries in Liaoning.

The northeast region covers three provinces -- Heilongjiang, Jilin and Liaoning. It is home to China's most important equipment manufacturing enterprises, oil wells, metal mines and military factories.

The central government announced a plan in August to revitalize the region. The new State policy is on par with the national strategy of developing the country's western region.

"New technologies have proved effective in rejuvenating industries in the northeast in the past few years,'' said Wu Zhengming, a publicity official with the ministry, at the fair.

"We are accelerating our work in this field,'' she said.

So far, seven State-level high-tech parks have been established in the Northeast China, supported by 22 national engineering technology centres, 20 national key laboratories and 230 corporate research and development institutions, according to ministry statistics.

Business people from Northeast China at the fair also said they hoped for more domestic and overseas investment in addition to new technologies.

A delegation from Heilongjiang Province signed 18 deals worth 11.4 billion yuan (US$1.38 billion) with enterprises in Shanghai on Thursday at the fair.

Over 30 other contracts were expected to be signed in the coming days with other domestic firms, Zhou Kaicheng, a senior official with the province's trade authority, revealed.

Zhao Jie, a senior assistant to the governor of Heilongjiang Province, noted on the sidelines of the fair that "private and overseas businesses are welcome to invest in all but a few industries in Heilongjiang.''

"We have still a good number of State-owned firms that need to be restructured (into shareholding companies),'' said Zhao.

"Since the central government has given it the nod, both domestic and overseas capital will have many opportunities,'' he added.

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