Act Like a Big Brother in the Development of East Guangdong

Yesterday, the site meeting of East Guangdong was held in Shantou as its second stop. The meeting focused on reviewing the progress of Shantou in implementing the work arrangements for East Guangdong made by the Provincial Party Committee and Government and in fulfilling relevant tasks, including the "3 promotions, 1 maintenance" and "double transfers". The meeting required Shantou to increase its adhesive and radiating capability, accelerate the creation of a regional central city and act like a big brother in East Guangdong. Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee Wang Yang hosted the meeting, where Governor Huang Huaua delivered a speech on behalf of the Provincial Party Committee and Government.
In the morning, the attendees visited Alpha Animation and Culture Co., Ltd., Yuedong Senior Mechanics School and the Eastern Urban Economic belt of Shantou. They also attended the ceremony marking the grid connection of the No.1 generating unit and the completion and commissioning of the 500-kV transmission project of Huaneng Haimen Power Plant. Everyone could appropriate the new appearance of Shantou through "3 years' work in laying a foundation". The construction of the key projects in port, transport and energy is well underway. The driving effects of the Eastern Urban Economic Belt, Industrial Economic Belt and Ecological Economic Belt begin to show gradually. Last year, the GDP and general budget revenues of Shantou were above the national and provincial average for the first time in 10 years. In January to May this year, the economy of Shantou continued to maintain a good momentum of development in spite of the impact of the international financial crisis, as reflected by a GDP growth of 9.2 and fast increase in all the major indicators, including the added value of above-scale industries, total investment in fixed assets and total retail sales of consumer goods.
In the afternoon, Wang Yang chaired a symposium. He said that Shantou had initially formed a sound atmosphere of economic warmup, social progress and business establishment by implementing the Scientific Outlook on Development and the spirit of East Guangdong working conference and the working conference of speciial economic zones of the province, basically realizing the goal of "laying a foundation in 3 years" set at East Guangdong working conference. The prospect of a new Shantou characterized by scientific development, livable environment and sound businesses is really inspiring. To play the role of a pathfinder, Shantou needs to strengthen its adhesive and radiating capability, accelerate the creation of a regional central city, work very hard in a down-to-earth manner.
Wang Yang pointed out that, since the founding of the New China, Shantou has been the political, economic and cultural center of East Guangdong and one of China's first four special economic zones. In recent years, Shantou has witnessed continuous reinforcement of its comprehensive economic strength and benefits from a good foundation of service industry and social undertakings, so that it can lead the cities in East Guangdong in terms of development aggregate. At present, the state is implementing the Outline of the Reform and Development Plan for the Pearl River Delta and promoting the construction of the West Coast Economic Zone. Guangdong Province is speeding up the "double transfers". Positive changes are taking place in cross-straits relations. All these provide a good foundation, excellent conditions and golden opportunities for Shantou to hasten the development of a regional central city. However, it should also be noted that Shantou still has considerable gap and imperfections in meeting the requirements for a regional central city. From the perspective of economic radiation function, although the performence of Shantou is the best in the four cities of East Guangdong, its growth is not fast and its ability to promote and serve the regional development is relatively weak. From the perspective of the layout of urban functions, although Shantou has a large urban scale, its urban functional zoning is not clear and there still is room for enhancement in industrial concentration and cohesive capability. From the perspective of the radiating effect of social undertakings, the cutting edges of Shantou in providing driving force surrounding areas are weakening, although it is the scientific, technological, educational, cultural and medical center in East Guangdong.
Wang Yang stressed that opportunities coexist with challenges and can slip easily. The leaders of Shantou should sharpen their sense of crisis and responsibility, seize the opportunities, work hard and turn the accelerated creation of a regional central city into the conscientious action of the party committees and governments at all levels. Firstly, work hard to strengthen the service functions of Shantou in alignment with the requirements for a regional central city. Shantou should play the part as a big brother in the development of East Guangdong and find its development position in the coordinate system in relation to Guangdong, China and the world while serving East Guangdong, southwest Fujian and southeast Jiangxi. It shall give full play to the advantages of special economic zone, expedite the development of high-end service industry, transform and enhance traditional service industry, and make its port economy larger and stronger. Secondly, work hard to level up industrial development in alignment with the requirements for a regional central city. Shantou shall strongly push forward industrial transformation and upgrading, merge itself into PRD and the West Coast Economic Zone of its own accord, and deepen the close cooperation with Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan. Thirdly, work hard to carry forward the pioneering spirit of special economic zones in alignment with the requirements for a regional central city. The fate of Shantou is in the hands of Shantou people. The history of Shantou should be written by Shantou people. To promote scientific development and experiment with new things, special economic zones need to keep on carrying forward the pioneering spirit to blaze new trails of scientific development.
Wang Yang called for making a success of Shantou to drive the entire East Guangdong and serve the entire province. The efforts made by Shantou to accelerate the creation of a regional central city relates to the overall development of the province. All related departments of the province should offer active support in plan compilation, policy implementation, key construction project arrangement, infrastructure construction and innovations in system and mechanism. The cities in East Guangdong should optimize and integrate their resources, prevent vicious competition, support Shantou in accelerated creation of a regional central city, and work hard to form a new development pattern of regional economy featuring mutually complementing advantages and positive interaction.
Huang Huaua made a speech on behalf of the Provincial Party Committee and Government. He fully recognized the encouraging situation of "fast development, strong vigor, new appearance" in Shantou. He believed that the overall economic strength of Shantou has enhanced considerably; outstanding effect has been obtained in independent innovations; new ground has been broken in industrial restructuring; internally and externally sourced economies are both developing rapidly; and initial success has been obtained in the construction of a regional central city.
Huang Huahua requires Shantou to further display the vitality of a special economic zone, level up its development and radiating capability, give a full play to its advantages as a special economic zone and the gateway of East Guangdong according to the arrangements of the Provincial Party Committee and Government, stick to the target of building a central city in East Guangdong, enhance the awareness of special economic zone, and work hard to play the "four leading roles" in the reform and development of East Guangdong. To be more specific, Shantou is expected to play a leading role in maintaining steady and rapid economic development. Do a good job in expanding investment, stimulating consumption and promoting export to set a good example for cities and counties in East Guangdong in neutralizing the impact of the international financial crisis. Secondly, Shantou shall play a leading role in promoting the construction of modern industrial system. It is expected to strongly develop port logistics, information service, cultural creation, seaside tourism and modern service industry; strengthen the strategic industries such as petrochemical and energy industries, and speed up the development of high-tech industries such as electronic information, bio-pharmaceuticals and new materials. Thirdly, Shantou shall play a leading role in promoting reform and opening-up. It shall make full use of the legislative power vested in special economic zones to stimulate the vigor of institutional innovation and make bold pioneering experiments, firmly grasp the historical opportunities of implementing the Outline of the Reform and Development Plan for the Pearl River Delta and building the West Coast Economic Zone to actively undertake the industrial transfer from PRD, Hong Kong and Macao, and work hard to turn Shantou into a pilot zone for economic and trade cooperation between Guangdong and Taiwan. Finally, Shantou shall play a leading role in urban construction. It shall push on the construction of the three economic belts according to high standards and with daring moves, continuously intensify economized and intensive use of land, carry out reclamation projects and use every conceivable means to expand urban development space.
At the symposium, Huang Zhiguang, Secretary of the Party Committee of Shantou, reported how the Municipal Party Committee and Government had implemented the work arrangements made by the Provincial Party Committee and Government to actively respond to the international financial crisis and promote the "3 promotions and 1 maintenance" and "double transfers". He also talked about the work ideas of the city about implementing the Outline to achieve the accelerated development and scientific development of Shantou, requested the related departments of the Provincial Party Committee and Government for support to Shantou in taking the lead in constructing the Guangdong-Taiwan Economic and Trade Cooperation Pilot Zone, compiling the overall plan for the economic and social development in east Guangdong and changing Shantou Free Trade Area into a comprehensive bonded area. Provincial leaders and heads of related departments, including the Provincial Development and Reform Committee, Taiwan Affairs Office, Department of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation, General Administration of Customs Guangdong Branch, Department of Land and Resources, Bureau of Ocean and Fishery, Department of Water Conservancy, Quality Supervision Bureau, Department of Communications, Department of Finance and Guangzhou Railway Group, answered questions on the spot and offered to support the transfer of Shantou Free Trade Area into a comprehensive bonded area, accelerate infrastructure construction and deepen the cooperation with Taiwan in economy and trade.
Also present at the meeting were provincial leaders Hong Longyun, Xu Shaohua, Chen Yongzhi, Wang Qingliang and Wang Xunzhang, secretaries of the Party Committee and mayors of the four cities in East Guangdong, heads of related departments directly under the provincial government and some units of the Central Government in Guangdong.

Source: Shantou Daily June 15, 2009