China-Japan Local Development and Cooperation Demonstration Area Set up in Qingdao with Construction Accelerated
The China-Japan(Qingdao )Local Development and Cooperation Demonstration Area is located in the Qingdao International Economic Cooperation Zone. Covering an area of 10.6 km2, it is one of the six China-Japan Local Development and Cooperation Demonstration Areas approved by the National Development and Reform Commission. It is also the only national-level China-Japan Demonstration Area for energy conservation and environmental protection. The demonstration area focuses on the industry of energy conservation and environmental protection and aims to strengthen cooperation in technological innovation, products R&D and high-end manufacturing, explore new park/zone cooperation mechanism, promote cluster development of the energy conservation and environmental protection industry and pioneer the new green and low-carbon development model.
It is learnt that Japan is one of the earliest economic and trade partners of Qingdao since China's reform and opening up. The first foreign-invested company and the first foreign-invested bank in Qingdao were both from Japan, and the first international flight route of Qingdao was to Japan. The first sister city relationship of Qingdao was also established with Shimonoseki of Japan. Moreover, Japan is the third largest foreign investment source and the third largest trading partner of Qingdao.
Since the approval of the demonstration area, its development has received much attention from the Japanese government and relevant institutions. As of now, seven Japan-invested projects with total investment of about 2.8 billion yuan have been established. Twenty more are in the pipeline. Partnership has been forged with over 10 Japanese financial institutions and business and trade associations including Mizuho Bank and Japan-China Economic Association. Cooperation has been established with 7 Japanese local government agencies including Kanagawa, Wakayama, Niigata, Iwate, Miyazaki,Tokushima and Shizuoka. The area has become increasingly influential.
The area has invited Nomura Research Institute, Mitsubishi Jishuo Sekkei, and Qingdao Urban Planning & Design Research Institute to make the development plan. It gives equal emphasis on ecology, production and life, and highlights the organic integration of the Chinese and Japanese cultures. The goal is to build a sustainable and future-oriented international park where man and nature coexist harmoniously. Following a city-industry integration and people-centered approach, the park will build five function zones with a respective focus on production and manufacturing, research and office space, business and commerce, life and residence, and supportive facilities.
In the future, the demonstration area, with energy conservation and environmental protection at its core, will deem protecting the shared home of humanity as its mission, and prioritize the four fundamental industries of material science, energy technology, bioengineering, and ICT, so as to drive the development of modern service sector and build a modernized park that features Japanese elements, low-carbon development and environmental protection, and city-industry integration. With the overall goal of getting started in one year, taking shape in three years, and getting fully developed in five years, it is estimated that by 2025, the infrastructure and supportive facilities will be basically in place. More than 200 companies will move in, generating total industrial output of over 35 billion yuan and creating jobs for 35,000 people.