Yuejiang Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd. is located in Rizhao Economic and Technological Development Zone, Shandong Province. The company's collaborative robot products are exported to more than 80 countries and regions worldwide. The picture shows the neatly arranged mechanical arms undergoing testing in the company's production base workshop recently.
Photo by Xu Xinghan (People's Vision)
Recently, the "Work Plan for Deepening the Reform and Innovation of National Economic and Technological Development Zones and Leading High-Quality Development with High-level Opening-up" (hereinafter referred to as the "Plan") was officially issued. Ling Ji, Vice Minister of Commerce and Deputy Representative for International Trade Negotiations, stated at a recent State Council policy briefing that with the deepening of reform and opening up, the layout of national-level economic and technological development zones has become more comprehensive and perfect, and the openness, economic strength, and innovation vitality have continued to strengthen. By 2024, the number of economic and technological development zones in China has reached 232, covering 31 provinces (regions, cities).
Ling Ji said that national-level economic development zones have made positive contributions to the construction of a new open economic system, regional coordinated development, and high-quality industrial development.
First, vigorously develop an open economy, and further consolidate the position of foreign trade and foreign investment in the "first echelon". National-level economic development zones have taken the lead in and deeply participated in international division of labor, effectively utilizing both domestic and international markets and resources, and continuously enhancing new advantages in international cooperation and competition. At present, there are more than 60,000 foreign-funded enterprises and 99,000 foreign trade enterprises with import and export performance in all 232 national-level economic development zones. 2024 The actual use of foreign investment in the whole year was $27.2 billion, and the import and export volume was 10.7 trillion yuan, accounting for 23.4% and 24.5% of the national total, respectively.
Second, accelerate the development of new quality productive forces, and significantly enhance economic strength and comprehensive supporting advantages. A large number of domestic and foreign enterprises have invested and started businesses in national-level economic development zones, gradually forming a large-scale, clear division of labor, and complete supporting industrial system, covering multiple fields such as electronic information, high-end equipment manufacturing, automobiles, petrochemicals, new energy, and new materials. 2024 In, the national-level economic development zones achieved a regional GDP of 16.9 trillion yuan, and more than 24 million people were employed by industrial enterprises and service enterprises above a certain scale.
Third, actively serve the coordinated development of the region and drive the economic construction of underdeveloped areas. Based on comparative advantages, the national-level economic development zones have strengthened the transfer of industries and the cooperation and construction of industrial parks, expanded the development hinterland of the eastern coastal areas, and enhanced the development momentum of underdeveloped areas. 2024 In, the economic development zones in the central and western regions and the northeast region achieved a regional GDP of 6.65 trillion yuan and an industrial GDP of 3.73 trillion yuan, accounting for 67% and 74% of the economic development zones in the eastern region, respectively. At the same time, many national-level economic development zones have actively supported the border, providing strong support for promoting the formation of a regional economy with complementary advantages and high-quality development.
Fourth, innovate and optimize the management system, and build a first-class business environment. National-level economic development zones continue to build market-oriented, professional, streamlined, and efficient institutional mechanisms for personnel selection, operation management, and investment attraction. Currently, about 60% of national-level economic development zones have no more than 10 internal institutions, which can provide enterprises with full-process, high-quality and convenient government services. At the same time, the national-level economic development zone has developed in conjunction with more than 30 free trade pilot zones and more than 60 comprehensive bonded zones within the zone, forming various institutional innovations such as factor flow, rights protection, and market order.
Zhu Bing, director of the Foreign Investment Management Department of the Ministry of Commerce, said that the Ministry of Commerce will start by strengthening the deep integration of technological innovation and industrial innovation, speeding up the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries, speeding up the cultivation of strategic emerging industries clusters, and speeding up the layout and construction of future industries.
