City cluster to boost cooperation

Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei plan steps to raise competitiveness

The past four years have witnessed positive outcomes of the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, and the three areas plan to further strengthen cooperation, to improve the overall competitiveness as a potential world-class city cluster, said officials on the sidelines of the ongoing first session of the 13th National People's Congress.

Yang Maorong, head of the Tianjin Binhai New Area, said that "with the aim of promoting regional coordinated development, we have set up the Tianjin (Binhai)-Zhongguancun Science Park, integrating the innovative achievements and resources from Beijing with Tianjin's advanced manufacturing capacity and thus bringing the utmost benefits to both parties."

Yang, who is also an NPC deputy, noted that in the future, Hebei, Tianjin and Beijing are expected to make full use of their respective advantages, and boost joint development with concerted efforts, further realizing the nation's "Made in China 2025" strategy, as well as creating an internationally oriented platform for reform and opening-up.

Zhang Gong, vice-mayor of Beijing, agreed. "In the past three years, Beijing has injected a total of 560 billion yuan ($88 billion) into Tianjin and Hebei, further deepening the industrial integration among the regions. To date, companies from the Zhongguancun Science Park have set up more than 6,100 subsidiaries in the two regions."

Last November marked the first anniversary of the establishment of the Tianjin (Binhai)-Zhongguancun Science Park, where many enterprises have benefited from the integration of innovative and industrial resources from Beijing and Tianjin.

"The reason why we choose to bring our company here is that we see the science park as an industry agglomeration district where science, technology, healthcare and finance industries can develop alongside each other," said Ning Shuxing, chief executive officer of Enduxinneng (Tianjin) Tech Co Ltd, a big data company that has just entered the Tianjin (Binhai)－Zhongguancun Science Park.

Liu Qi, general manager of Sublue Tech Co Ltd, an underwater robot company that was set up in the Tianjin (Binhai)-Zhongguancun Science Park last March, agreed.

He said that he and his team were attracted to the science park because they get favorable policies from not only the science park, but also from the Binhai New Area and Tianjin.

"Our employees in the Binhai New Area get subsidies for three consecutive years. The annual living allowances for each employee with a bachelor's degree, a master's degree, and a PhD are 12,000 yuan, 24,000 yuan and 36,000 yuan respectively. The company also receives construction and rent subsidies," Liu said.

Duan Haibo, deputy director of the Administrative Committee of Zhongguancun Science Park, told the Xinhua News Agency that the Tianjin (Binhai)-Zhongguancun Science Park plays a crucial role in deepening the innovative collaboration between Beijing and Tianjin, as well as accelerating regional transformation and industrial upgrading of the two regions.

According to Duan, the enactment of the government's favorable policies in the future will promote more cooperation between Beijing and the Binhai New Area by docking resources from the two regions, setting up industrial development foundations, as well as promoting communication between research institutes from Beijing and Tianjin, to build a cross-region innovation and entrepreneurship ecological system.

Besides, monthly intercity railway tickets between Beijing and Binhai have been issued to attract talents from Beijing to start businesses in the new area. Binhai also canceled driving restrictions in the new area for cars with a Beijing license, Yang added.

Beijing and Tianjin's efforts for coordinated development were echoed by what has taken place in Hebei. Yuan Tongli, vice-governor of Hebei province, said that during the past four years, Hebei has been sparing no efforts to contribute to the joint growth of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, and the province had witnessed significant progress on many fronts, including transportation, industrial manufacturing, education, healthcare as well as the environment.

Ouyang Shijia contributed to the story.