Just 15 years ago, Changchun economic and technological development zone (CETDZ) was a bare patch of land. Now, the area in northeast China’s Jilin province is a source of hope for many entrepreneurs.

CETDZ is one of the nation’s leading high-tech areas. Once complete, it will feature industry to the north and a business and living area to the south.

Zone administrators are forging ahead with development plans, which call for a superior investment climate, roads, office buildings and residential communities.

Industrial projects

Local authorities have planned five districts in the zone – bio-industry, auto making, equipment manufacturing, new energy and trade.

State-owned China Guodian Corporation, a Fortune 500 company, will invest 1.2 billion yuan in the first phase of a new energy development base in CETDZ. The project will build wind power facilities and offer maintenance services.

Construction has already begun on a wind power plant, covering 320,000 sq m of land. Its expected annual production capacity is 400 1.5-megawatt and 3-megawatt generators.

Completion is scheduled for November 2011. The facility will bring in 4 billion yuan annually.

China Guodian has also planned a service center in Changchun, providing training, maintenance and research and development services for northeast China enterprises.

Huaxin Group, one of China’s leading railway equipment manufacturers, will invest 1.7 billion yuan to build a light rail facilities base covering 539,000 sq m of land.

The base will produce aluminum alloy and stainless steel carriages, frameworks and other train components.

Huaxin hopes to make 1,100 aluminum alloy carriages and 1,400 stainless steel carriages a year.

Its expected annual production value is 4.2 billion yuan. The company will employ more than 2,000 people.

Businesses funded by Foton, one of China’s best-known commercial vehicle makers, have also settled in the zone.

Additionally SGS has established a facility in the area. The Swiss company is one of the world’s top inspection, verification and testing enterprises.

Changchun has established partnerships with many research institutions at home and abroad, offering strong technological support to its emerging industries.

Commercial center

CETDZ will host three business circles.

Among them is Ziyou Avenue, which will feature exhibition and trade.

Having held more than 150 conferences and exhibitions last year, Changchun officials plan to make the area a hub for shows, sports games, and other activities.

Ziyou Avenue will be a wholesale market, featuring clothing, textile and building materials.

Zone officials hope it can become an influential regional trading center in northeast China by 2020.

Developers expect nearby Zhuhai Road will be a shopping street in five years, with annual sales reaching 3 billion by 2020.

Dongfang Plaza business circle will be a transportation hub. Area planners believe it will attract high-end hotels, restaurants and pubs, as well as regional company headquarters.

Xinglongshan business circle will be a service center for northern parts of Changchun zone.

Plans for its eastern region include an airport, as well as trade, tourism and conference facilities.

The circle’s western region will be a central living district, providing residential communities with entertainment and education facilities.

CETDZ achieved a total production value of 20.45 billion yuan in the first six months of this year, up 23 percent compared with the same period last year.

The local government has renovated five area streets, representing a total investment of 1.5 million yuan. More than 20,000 sq m of roads have been repaved, and 40 bus stops have been rebuilt.

Workers rescued more than 1,300 roadside trees that suffered from last years frost, preventing a 10 million yuan loss. Another 3,000 sq m of trees and shrubs have now been added to the area.- China Daily