2024 marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the first batch of national level economic and technological development zones.
From the first 14 to the latest 229, from 12 coastal cities to 31 provinces (regions, cities)... Over the past 40 years, national level economic development zones have adhered to the original mission of promoting opening up through reform and seeking development through opening up, and have made positive contributions to the construction of a new open economic system, regional coordinated development, and high-quality industrial development.
Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, national level economic development zones have adhered to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, actively promoted innovation and upgrading, comprehensively deepened reform and opening up, continuously played a demonstrative, radiating and driving role in their respective regions, and promoted high-quality economic and social development in China.
The main battlefield of economic development
What can grow from an area of less than 10 square kilometers initially?
In Guangzhou Economic Development Zone, the reporter found the following answer: the total output value of industrial enterprises above designated size, actual utilization of foreign investment and other 7 indicators rank first in the national economic development zone, the comprehensive strength ranks second in the national economic development zone, and the total fiscal and tax revenue has exceeded 100 billion yuan for seven consecutive years
The beautiful "report card" submitted by Guangzhou Economic Development Zone in 2023 is a reflection of the increasingly prominent position and role of national level economic development zones in the national economy.
Over the past 40 years, the national level economic development zone has transformed its way, adjusted its structure and promoted its transformation in saline alkali mudflat and barren mountains and depressions, formed a "microclimate" conducive to the introduction of foreign capital, technology and advanced management experience, and effectively played the role of the main position and growth pole of economic and social development.
——Quantity expansion and layout expansion. As of now, the number of national level economic development zones has increased to 229, including 103 in the eastern region, 55 in the central region, 50 in the western region, and 21 in the northeast region.
——A powerful engine of economic growth. In 2023, national level economic development zones will achieve a regional gross domestic product of 15.7 trillion yuan, fiscal revenue of 2.7 trillion yuan, and tax revenue of 2.5 trillion yuan, contributing one tenth of the country's regional gross domestic product and fiscal and tax revenue with a land area of 0.3%.
——The vitality of openness continues to be released. In 2023, the total import and export volume of 229 national level economic development zones will be 10.1 trillion yuan, with actual use of foreign investment of 39.5 billion US dollars, accounting for nearly a quarter of the country's total foreign trade and actual use of foreign investment, becoming the "main force" in consolidating the basic foundation of foreign trade and foreign investment.
Reform and Opening up Experimental Field
In February of this year, four companies' intelligent connected passenger vehicles were approved to carry out manned connections between the Beijing Economic Development Zone located in Yizhuang, Beijing and the terminal of Daxing International Airport, marking the official opening of the world's first autonomous driving demonstration scene for manned connections at a capital city airport.
Starting the construction of the first national data infrastructure system pilot zone, gathering efforts to build a national level information and innovation park and a national information technology application innovation base... Today's Yizhuang in Beijing is full of surging development momentum, which is a microcosm of the national level economic development zone daring to take the lead, pioneering and advancing, deeply cultivating reform and testing fields, and building a new highland of openness.
Born and prospered due to the reform and opening up.
Reform has always been the key to the development of national level economic development zones. Defining reasonable and clear rights and responsibilities, establishing market-oriented operating mechanisms, and promoting continuous optimization of the business environment... National level economic development zones focus on the concerns of business entities, independently deepen institutional innovation, transform government functions, solve difficult and painful points, and promote the deepening of reform.
Exploring new paths for high-level opening up to the outside world is the inherent mission of national level economic development zones. Kunming Economic and Technological Development Zone seized the opportunity of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) coming into effect and effectively improved the facilitation of customs clearance under RCEP. Now, the first launch time of China Railway Lianji Kunming Central Station has been shortened by one day compared to the previous segmented transportation mode of public and railway, and transportation costs have been reduced by more than 20%; As the Economic Development Zone of Anhui Pilot Free Trade Zone, Hefei Economic Development Zone has pioneered the cross-border e-commerce online shopping bonded retail import "return goods+blockchain assisted management" model in China
Over the past 40 years, national level economic and trade development zones have strengthened their pioneering efforts in implementing new international economic and trade rules. They have actively developed and combined advantages with functional parks such as free trade pilot zones, comprehensive protection zones, and cross-border e-commerce comprehensive pilot zones. They have carried out beneficial explorations in filling rule gaps, cultivating new industries and formats, and promoting investment and trade facilitation, forming a batch of replicable and promotable experiences, and improving the high-level opening-up system and mechanism.
Innovation and Transformation Drivers
Innovation has always been the primary driving force behind the development of national level economic development zones.
Focus on 'who will innovate' and vigorously cultivate various scientific and technological innovation entities. Shenyang Economic and Technological Development Zone fully supports the construction of Zhongke (Shenyang) Industrial Technology Innovation Research Institute, and helps leading scientific and technological innovation enterprises such as Shengu Group and Northern Heavy Industry to closely cooperate with the Chinese Academy of Sciences. With the support of relevant cooperation mechanisms, Shengu Group has successfully developed the first set of 9-megawatt large-scale offshore platform compressors, freeing China's offshore natural gas production from dependence on imported compressor units.
Focus on "how to innovate", build innovation platforms, and construct innovation ecosystems. Wuhan Economic and Technological Development Zone has collaborated with Wuhan Donghu High tech Zone to carry out joint technological breakthroughs in the field of automotive chips, introducing high-speed rail insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) chip technology into the development of automotive power chips and achieving daily production of 1000 IGBT chips, successfully breaking through the dilemma in the automotive "power chip" field.
Focusing on "how to transform innovation" and bridging the "last mile" of technological achievements landing. In Dongying Economic and Technological Development Zone, eight leading companies in the industry, including China Research Institute, Weichai Power, and Guoci Materials, have jointly established a national rare earth catalysis research institute with Tianjin University. The institute has developed internationally leading technology for efficient utilization of precious metals in gas engine post-treatment catalysts. Weichai Power alone has saved over 3 billion yuan in annual procurement costs.
For the past 40 years, from being the first to carry out the design and innovation of technology introduction systems, to now being the vanguard on the road to becoming a strong intellectual property country, national level economic development zones have never slackened their exploration and progress in the field of scientific and technological innovation systems. As of the end of 2022, the national level economic development zones have a total of 683 national level incubators and makerspaces, and 12300 provincial-level or above research and development institutions.
Currently, a new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation is accelerating.
As the main carrier of promoting technological innovation, relying on the achievements and experience of 40 years of innovation exploration, national level economic development zones will play a greater role in cultivating and developing new quality productive forces, injecting stronger momentum into high-quality economic and social development.