Official statistics indicate the city realized GDP of over 30 billion yuan (US$3.7 billion) in 2005, an increase of 23 per cent from 2004. The growth rate was 11 percentage points higher than the average in Guangdong in 2005.

The mayor said the city still has great potential for luring foreign investors in the future, as there is adequate supply of land, which is estimated at 5,000 square kilometres.

He said that Qingyuan would make good use of several industrial parks to attract foreign investors, particularly the Qingyuan New and High-tech Industrial Development Zone and its subordinate industrial parks of Yuantan, Longtang, Yinzan, Baijia, Anfeng and Dalian in the Qingcheng District, the urban district of Qingyuan.

The Qingyuan New and High-tech Industrial Development Zone, founded on May 19, 2003 with the approval of the Guangdong provincial government, is located in the towns of Yuantan and Longtang.

With a total area of 110 square kilometres, and a developed area of 36 square kilometres, the zone is close to Qingyuan Railway Station in the north and Qingyuan Port in the south.

Both the Guangzhou-Qingyuan Expressway and the national road 107 are within easy reach.

The zone is only 48 kilometres away from downtown Guangzhou, the provincial capital of Guangdong, and 20 minutes' ride to the Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport.

The zone has set up several industrial parks including:

The Yuantan Industrial Park in Yuantan Town, which covers an area of over 5,000 hectares, with projects mainly related to ceramic building materials;

The Longtang Industrial Park in Longtang Town, which covers an area of over 3,100 hectares and has a convenient traffic network;

The Yinzan Industrial Park between Longtang Town and Yinzan Forest Park, which covers an area of over 1,200 hectares. The park has a renowned hot spring resort;

The Anfeng Industrial Park in Longtang Town, which covers an area of over 1,800 hectares;

And the Datang Industrial Park in Yuantan Town, which covers an area of over 4,500 hectares.

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