TIANJIN - As a promising "new champion" city, Tianjin will stick to the principle of sustainable growth, with more efforts devoted to transforming the city's economic development pattern, Tianjin Mayor Huang Xingguo stressed yesterday.
Tianjin's economic structure will be further optimized and energy-efficient and environmental-friendly growth will be encouraged to beef up further development of the city, Huang said at the opening ceremony of 2010 Tianjin Summer Davos Forum yesterday.
"Only through enhancing energy efficiency and protecting the environment, can sustainable development be fully achieved for Tianjin," he added.
Serving as the economic center of North China, Tianjin has maintained a steady growth despite the global financial crisis, as a result of encouraging high-end industries, deepening institutional reform and boosting innovation, according to Huang.
From January to August this year, the city's GDP grew 18 percent from the same period of last year, with indices of energy efficiency, pollutant emission also ranking front all across China.
"On one hand, human beings have achieved fast economic growth from industrial development, and on the other hand, the price in environment deterioration and energy restraint is unbearable," Huang contended.
"In the next wave of development, Tianjin will give priority to energy-efficient industries to secure a sustainable growth," he added.
Tianjin Party chief Zhang Gaoli fully endorsed Huang's opinions.
Quality growth
Zhang stressed that one important experience for Tianjin to pursue efficient and effective development is focusing on transforming the development pattern and adjusting the economic structure. As a result of the development philosophy, a bunch of gigantic and quality industrial projects have been put in place to facilitate the efficiency and quality of local economic growth.
Tianjin is gearing up to quality development, as traditional industries are upgraded while high value-added sectors are enjoying priority.
Authorities in Tianjin's burgeoning Binhai New Area have vowed to reject all projects that fail to meet environmental standards.
In order to enhance international influence and broaden investment channels, the city is hosting the Summer Davos for the second time during 13-15 September.
Showcase of Tianjin
The Davos forum is also a good showcase to display Tianjin's rapid and sustainable growth in recent years.
In 2009, Tianjin's per capita GDP reached 62,403 yuan ($9,136), a year-on-year increase of 11.1 percent, a rate much higher than the nation's average.
In the first half of this year, Tianjin's GDP reached 410.65 billion yuan, growing 18 percent over the same period last year, ranking the second in all of China.
The city also attracted direct foreign investment of up to $5.91 billion in the first half of 2010, up 20 percent compared with the same period last year.
By the end of the first half of this year, more than 20,000 foreign enterprises had invested in Tianjin, with paid foreign investment totaling $37.6 billion.
More than a quarter of the Fortune 500 enterprises have established operations in Tianjin. |
