Yantai Special: Zone to use new emerging industries to drive growth

　　As a national-level economic base, the Yantai High-Tech Industrial Zone aims to grow into one of China's leading centers for emerging industries by developing biomedicines, new materials, electronic information, modern services and aerospace science.

　　To date, the zone has started 37 large projects that involve a combined investment of 40 billion yuan ($6.3 billion). These projects include a 1.5-billion-yuan aerospace science and technology park and an 800-million-yuan intelligent technology park.

　　"The Yantai high-tech industrial zone will develop several industrial clusters to sharpen its core competitiveness," said Liu Hongbo, secretary of the working committee for the zone.

　　An industrial cluster is beginning to form in the field of biomedicines and a number of large projects are underway, including the Shandong International Biotechnology Park, the Luye Pharma Science and Technology Park and the National Biological New Materials Park. The Shandong International Biotechnology Park already has more than 30 projects ready for development in the fields of halobios.

　　The Yantai High-Tech Industrial Zone has been named a national-level innovation base for biomedicine, and it is also listed among the first batch of new emerging industry projects encouraged by the Shandong provincial government.

　　In the field of aerospace science and technology, the zone benefits from cooperation with famous institutes and high-tech enterprises, such as the China Academy of Space Technology and China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. The cooperation has laid a solid foundation for the zone's aerospace industrial cluster.

　　Large projects are now under construction, such as an aerospace industrial park and a research and development base that produces titanium alloy fastener used for planes.

　　The electronic information cluster includes Zhengyuan Information Park and Yantai Jinjian Metallurgy Technology Company.

　　With an increasing number of business players coming to the zone, the zone is working to update its service facilities to provide its customers with all-around service.

　　These facilities include an international convention and exhibition center, a professional business community, environmentally friendly residential areas, the Yantai Geological Museum and botanical garden.

　　The service facilities also boost the zone's service industry. Currently, high-end service sectors have been formed are engaged in software outsourcing, financial services and creative industries.