At a press conference held Sunday morning, March 7, several
members of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference
(CPPCC) talked about methods and ideas for revitalizing the old
industrial bases in northeast China. During the conference, held in
the Great Hall of the People, Wang Taozhi, a CPPCC member
from?Heilongjiang?Province
and director of the Provincial United Front Work Department, talked
about the conditions for development of Heilongjiang.
Wang Taozhi pointed out that Heilongjiang has many advantages
for further development, such as abundant resources. Its cultivated
and forest areas and petroleum reserves all rank first in China.
With a cultivated area of 9.3 million hectares, the average grain
output is around 60 billion kilograms. The total forested area is
19.2 million hectares, or 42 percent of the land. The petroleum
output reached 50 million tons annually for 27 consecutive years,
although it dropped to 48.4 million tons last year. Coal reserves
and water resources in Heilongjiang are also plentiful. The
province's natural environment is also a sound foundation for
developing ecological tourism and "green food" industry.
"As everyone here can see, I am fit because I grew up by eating
green food," smiled Wang.
Wang went on to say that Heilongjiang Province shares a
3,045-kilometer border with Russia. With 25 national grade-one
ports, it has obvious advantages in economic and trade cooperation
with Russia.
Heilongjiang is fairly sound economically, said Wang, with its
GDP ranking 13th in the nation and per capita GDP ranking 10th. The
added value of large-scale industries ranks ninth. Many of the
state-owned enterprises in the province have well-established
connections with other parts of the country, which is important in
reducing investment and seeing rapid results from further
adjustment and reform.
Five of every 100 people in Heilongjiang are college-educated,
said Wang. Students graduating from schools like the respected
Harbin Polytechnic University are actively recruited by various
enterprises while they are still in their third year of college.
Wang added that there are also numerous state-certified technicians
in such fields as welding, dairy and soybean production.
"Still, we are facing many difficulties and problems," said
Wang. The market is somewhat sluggish. Traditional industries, and
state-owned enterprises in particular, account for a comparatively
large ratio. At present, SOEs account for 88 percent of the
industrial capital in the province. The employment and
re-employment difficulties are enormous. The development of the
seven cities whose industries are based on natural resources have
presented the greatest challenge: four have coal-based industries;
two, forestry; and one, petroleum.
Wang said that the plan to develop Heilongjiang includes
employing innovative systems and mechanization to take advantage of
existing resources, leading to a new path of industrialization. "We
will focus on construction of six industrial bases," said Wang.
"One is an equipment manufacturing industry, with emphasis on
improving conditions for manufacturing power generation,
transportation and heavy equipment. The cities of Harbin and
Qiqihar will be large, key bases for a modern equipment
manufacturing industry."
Other industrial focuses in Heilongjiang will be petrochemicals,
energy, food, medicine and forestry, Wang told the press.
Resume:
Wang Taozhi, born December 1948, of Han ethnic group, native of
Luan County, Hebei Province, member of the Chinese Communist
Party;
1978 - 1989: staff of Harbin Planning Committee, staff and vice
director of Infrastructure Department and director of Investment
Department;
1989 - 1990: vice manager of Harbin Investment Company;
1990 - 1993: vice director of Harbin Planning Committee, vice
general-commander of Gasification Project, director of Harbin
municipal government's Beijing office, Party secretary;
1993 - 1997: vice general-secretary of Harbin municipal
government, director of the Administrative Office and Planning
Committee, Party secretary;
1997-2003: vice director, director of Harbin Planning Committee,
and Party secretary;
Currently serving as member of the 10th CPPCC, vice chairman of
Heilongjiang provincial people's political consultative conference,
head of Provincial United Front Work Department.
(China.org.cn?by Wang Qian March 7, 2004)
