Zhanjiang mayor Wang Zhongbing is interviewed by a reporter from Yangcheng Evening News. [Photo by Lu Zhimin]

Zhanjiang will stick to innovation-driven economic development, and speed up industrial and urban transformation to make a “Sustainable City”.

Wang Zhongbing told reporters that Zhanjiang will endeavor to attain “second-tier status” in Guangdong province’s economic development, aiming at doubling its GDP to 500 billion yuan ($80 billion) in four years.

Wang said Zhanjiang was speeding up industrial and urban transformation to realize the goal. He said that the city was accelerating the development of the iron and steel, petrochemical and paper-making industries to establish a modern industrial system, promoting equal access to public services, and striving to build a livable city with a pleasant ecological environment.

Wang Zhongbing said Zhanjiang will never trade its blue sky and clean water with economic growth. He said that the ultimate goal of economic and social development is to enhance the people’s well-being, and how to balance environment and economy will be a test for the government.

Wang Zhongbing put forward the concepts of developing Zhanjiang into a “Footprint City”, “Sponge City”, and “Sustainable City”, when he made the Zhanjiang government report for 2015.

The municipal government made environmental protection a premise for giving the green light to projects in the iron and steel, petrochemical and papermaking industries. The city has also replanted many farmlands and aquafarms with trees to build itself an ecological “garden city”.

Zhanjiang will make all efforts to become an innovation-oriented city where young entrepreneurs can flex their muscles and make dreams come true, Wang Zhongbing said.

The city is building the southern “maritime valley”, an innovation platform which can offer low-cost and convenient services to entrepreneurs by taking advantage of industry-university-research cooperation.

Wang Zhongbing also told reporters that Premier Li Keqiang’s warning about abuse of power had stuck with him. He said the government officials should abide by law in administration, and accept the public’s supervision on their work.