Hefei: Historic city at forefront of high-tech innovation

With the rapid increase in vehicle use on China's roads, the country is looking towards clean technology, both in vehicle production and in motive power. A tour of the assembly line floor of New Energy Automobile Base of Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Co Ltd was revealing. Here was a modern Chinese car plant not only producing compact electric or conventionally powered units, but it was the smoothness of production with the constant emphasis on safety that impressed.

This was also the theme at Hefei Tsinghua Public Safety Institute, one of eight centers within Hefei focusing on innovative scientific research both within industrial and every day public safety issues.

The administrative area of Hefei extends well beyond the central urban districts to the far southwestern shores of Chaohu Lake. With considerable space for construction, He-Chao (Hefei Chaohu) Economic Development Zone is home to a leading centre for medical and particularly antibody research. A visit to the Bio-Antibody Pharmaceutic Manufacturing Base of Beijing Sinobioway Group was like walking through a scene from a science fiction era film set. Behind thick glass safety windows research technicians fully clad in full-body blue protective gear worked on, for example, advanced therapies for cancer treatment. What proved also truly impressive was to be driven around a nearby 'mini-city' nearing completion that will greatly expand Sinobioway's high-end research.

Beyond its high-tech advancements, Hefei is looking towards tourism for growth. Close to the northern shores of Chaohu Lake is a major Wanda Group development. Set within lake-themed gardens a group of newly opened high-end hotels such as the Wanda Vista offer international resort quality close to the Hefei Wanda Theme Park. Visitors can discover a lot from local culture and history through extreme excitement on technically advanced rides - what else could be expected within a leading innovative city!

Heading back to Beijing on a CRH train 'designed in China, made in China' I sat back, thought over my thirty years of involvement with this country and asked myself about what I had learned during my visit to Hefei? A fascinating experience with much more awaiting discovery around Hefei as it develops into a core city for innovation.

The visit to Hefei was organized through Hefei Municipal Government and CRI Online. Bruce Connolly was invited by China Daily.