The Liaoning provincial government recently released a development plan for a two-city integration strategy, reportedly the first of its kind in the country.
The plan involves neighboring cities less than 10 km apart - the provincial capital Shenyang and resource-rich Fushun. Both are known as traditional industrial centers.
According to the plan, the two cities will forge closer ties and pool resources in transportation, communication, industrial production, technology, health care, education and financial services in a bid to spur regional development.
Shenyang's edge in industry, human resources and technology complement the raw materials and labor force of Fushun. Their integration will help reduce production and distribution costs and widen the development scope of the cities, experts said.
"What prompted our decision to launch the Shenyang-Fushun integration strategy is to promote development of the cities and bring benefits to locals," said Li Jia, vice-governor of the province.
Development of an adjoining 605-sq-km area between the two cities is key to the scheme, Li noted.
Sponsored by the provincial government, worldwide tenders were issued for planning the initial pilot area.
More than 20 design and planning institutes submitted bids. Five from China, Australia, Britain, France and the United States were selected.
With the Hunhe River running through it, the pilot area is divided into two parts - an ecological zone north of the river and an industrial zone to the south. Part of the concept is to establish an eco-friendly urban Shenyang-Fushun corridor.
Regional hub
As a hub of the cities in the northeastern province, Shenyang has registered robust growth in recent years.
The city's gross domestic product (GDP) reached 307 billion yuan in 2007, an increase of 17.7 percent over the previous year, the highest growth rate in 15 years.
Per capita disposable income of urban residents reached 14,600 yuan and 7,080 yuan for rural residents last year, increasing 25.3 and 24 percent year-on-year respectively.
Centered around the provincial capital, a number of big inter-city development strategies have taken shape.
As the Shenyang-Fushun integration scheme advances in the east, Fushun authorities have listed 100 key investment projects as priorities in the plan. Highlighted is development of the auto parts industry, which is complementary to Shenyang's auto and machinery industries.
Hi-tech and modern service industries in Hunnan new district of Shenyang complement the traditional Chinese medicine, steel and iron and machinery manufacturing sectors in the neighboring city of Benxi.
To further benefit from its extensive steel output, Benxi to the southeast of Shenyang is advancing construction of a 138-sq-km new industrial zone, a 25-sq-km processing zone and five manufacturing bases for steel, construction materials, equipment, chemicals and traditional Chinese medicine.
Capitalizing on the steel and iron resources of Anshan and Benxi, southwestern Shenyang aims to extend the industrial chain of local steel sector and sharpen its edge as a western equipment manufacturing base.
As the headquarters for Angang Iron and Steel Group, Anshan is already known as the "Iron City". It plans to attract more big projects to bolster the local economy.
Liaoyang, situated between Anshan and Shenyang, is also enhancing cooperation with its neighboring two cities. Its goal of this year is to surpass $4,000 in per capita GDP and 14 percent in annual GDP growth.
Construction of an industrial corridor linking Shenyang and Tieling is already underway.
Through collaboration with Shenyang, Tieling to the northeast is accelerating its pace in expanding urbanization, agricultural modernization and development of commerce and logistics.
Yingkou, a port city, is expected to provide a convenient access to shipping routes for the inland city clusters.
The provincial government has mapped out an overall development blueprint for the city clusters in the central province that are expected to make a quantum leap in development in the next five years, according to the blueprint.
Shenyang is then expected to quadruple its per capita GDP over 2000, and rank among the top 10 Chinese cities in comprehensive competitiveness.
Source: China Daily
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