Bayinchaolu (Center), Jilin Party chief, and Jiang Chaoliang (2nd Left), governor, examining Jilin Tongxin Basalt Technology Co products, in Tonghua, on June 4. [Photo by Song Kai/ chinajilin.com.cn]

When Jilin provincial leaders decided to do an on-site study of major industrial projects in the province, they set out on June 4, with the Party chief Bayinchaolu, and governor, Jiang Changliang, in the lead, making their first stop in the eastern city of Tonghua, a key ecological protection site.

The city is concentrating on the green transition of its industry, rapid development of the service sector, urban infrastructure, environmental protection, opening-up of its border area, and livelihood improvement, with plans this year to start more than 1,300 projects, worth more than 30-million yuan ($4.8 million), and put 110-billion yuan into industrial investment.

Pharmaceuticals are the city's industrial backbone, with a large layout that covers production, trade, research, education, traditional Chinese medicine, and medical culture. By 2014, its pharmaceutical business accounted for more than 50 percent of Jilin's total output.

The team visited the Dongbao Pharmacy Group to get a close look at its projects and products and was told about how it uses genetic technology to cultivate human serum albumin as a major improvement in human blood extraction. Bayinchaolu expressed his pleasure by encouraging them to develop into a science park. Then, at the Tianshi Pharmacy, they spoke about improved brand management, since the company is building itself into Northeast China's largest production center by combining medical research, production, and logistics.

The city has a reputation of being the "hometown of ginseng" and is developing China's largest ginseng research, growing, processing, and logistics center in China so, the team visited the Jilin branch of the Hong Kong Pan-Asia Ginseng Exchange where they said they hoped the company can make full use of its e-trading system to promote Jilin ginseng.

Metallurgy was the third major area the team was interested in checking, since it faces significant challenges in its upgrading. So they got a look at the Tonghua Steel Co and its new pollution control site, now that China's iron and steel companies are busy with new projects that fit the changing market needs and enhance adaptability, with the focus more on green development, and Tonghua is a leading example.

The fourth major industry they examined was basalt fiber, so they visited the Jilin Tongxin Basalt Technology Co to get a look at its fiber compound product site, and said they were impressed with its technology, basalt product research, production, and sales. It has a 5-billion-yuan project that it expected to bring in 850-million yuan annually upon completion, so the officials said they hope the company can take this emerging industry in Jilin to the highest level.

Edited by Roger Bradshaw