High-tech adds wheels to Fujian economy
By Xie Jinwei (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2004-05-22 18:36

Fujian Province's delegation to the 7th Beijing International High-tech Expo held a press conference at the Landmark Hotel, Beijing May 22.

The delegation, headed by Wang Qinmin, vice-president of Fujian Political Consultative Conference and head of the provincial Department of Science and Technology, introduced the province's major achievements on high-tech development and some of their exhibits.

According to Wang, the East-China province has put much emphasis on high- tech industrialization. He said that Fujian has established two State-level and five provincial-level high-tech industrial development zones, the Southeast Fujian Electronics & Information Industrial Base as well as two software industry bases.

To date, certificated high-tech enterprises in the province numbers 594, including 100 companies boasting 100-million-yuan-plus annual sales income.

Last year, Fujian's high-tech product export saw a sharp annual increase of 43.64 percent with the export volume of US$4.696 billion.

High-tech projects accelerated the province's agricultural information-technology system construction. Statistics shows that the average annual income of Fujian peasants reached 3,730 yuan (US$450.6) in 2003, up 5.5 percent year on year.

In addition, the province made breakthrough in areas of material technology, marine biology, environmental protection, etc.

At the end of last year, the provincial government put forwarded a plan to build the West Strait Side Economic Zone supported by high-tech industry in hopes of attracting more foreign investment and intensifying international cooperation in science and technology, added Wang.