In the government work report delivered to the city's lawmakers
yesterday, Mayor Xu Zongheng set the main targets for the city's
economic and social development in 2007 as follows:
The city's GDP is expected to rise 13 percent. Registered urban
unemployment rate will be kept within 3 percent. The disposable
income of Shenzhen's urban residents will grow 7 percent.
To achieve the above-mentioned goals, the report said the city
government will try its best to do well in the following areas:
Upgrading industrial structure
The city will spearhead the development of advanced
manufacturing and service industries, and focus on technological
innovation.
The city will introduce a shift from manufacturing based on
imitation to production based on homegrown research and
development.
Shenzhen will promote the development of refined chemicals,
automobiles, auto electronics as well as some strategically
innovative industries such as biopharmaceuticals and
semiconductors.
The government will gradually guide the city's companies to move
out of town their labor-intensive assembly lines and retain their
headquarters, research and development centers, procurement centers
and financial centers in Shenzhen.
The city will develop a recycling economy, forcing out serious
polluters and big energy consumers from the city.
The report also outlined the development plan for modern and
advanced service industries including finance, modern logistics,
network information, services outsourcing, innovative design,
branding exhibition and luxury tourism.
The report also said the government will lure more financial
institutions to move their head offices and back-office service
centers to Shenzhen.
Infrastructure
The construction of the Xiamen-Shenzhen railway will began, and
Phase III extension of the Yantian port, Phase I of the Dachan port
and Phase III of the Shekou port will be accelerated.
The infrastructure facilities of Shenzhen Port will be improved,
strengthening its position as an international container hub. The
city will speed up the expansion of the Shenzhen airport, ease the
traffic congestion in its airspace, and strengthen its position as
an air cargo hub.
The extension of Metro Lines 1 and 4 and the construction of
Metro Lines 2 and 3 will be stepped up. The planning of Phase III
of the Metro and the feasibility study on Metro Line 5 and the
extension of Metro Lines 2 and 3 will be completed as soon as
possible.
The city will push ahead with the renovation of its road network
as well as the construction of a BRT (Bus Rapid Transit)
system.
The city will complete the construction of the Shenzhen Bay and
Futian checkpoints, accelerate the renovation of the Huanggang and
Wenjindu checkpoints and the planning of the Liantang
Checkpoint.
The city will increase investment in infrastructure construction
outside the special economic zone and accelerate its urbanization
process. The construction of Longhua New Town, Eastern New Town and
Guangming New Town will be sped up.
Housing prices
The government promises to improve macrocontrol over the real
estate market to ensure an effective supply and firmly crack down
on illegal hoarding of land and housing. The city will supply
low-income families with more and better houses.
Universiade preparations
Making preparations for the 2011 Universiade will be a major
task of the city in the next few years. The government will act
promptly to ensure all the preparation work goes smoothly.
Related planning will be improved, and the construction of
Universiade City and key sports venues will be accelerated.
Shenzhen will host the best Universiade ever held in the history
of university sports by providing first-rate facilitates,
first-rate environment and first-rate services.
Education
The city will forge ahead with the balanced development of
compulsory education, enhance the fairness in education and improve
the planning and distribution of primary schools outside the
special economic zone.
More investment will be made in pre-school education.
The city will speed up the construction of boarding schools,
standardize public funded schools and carry out vocational
education.
The city will start the preparatory work on founding Nanfang
University of Science and Technology, carry out the renovation and
expansion of Shenzhen University, and speed up the construction of
the new campus of Shenzhen Institute of Information Technology.
Medical care
The city will invest heavily in key healthcare projects,
including community health service centers and health networks for
migrant workers.
The government will make sure every district has at least one
city-level hospital soon so that all residents can easily access
high-quality medical services.
The city will standardize medical billing in a bid to prevent
hospitals from overcharging patients. All the migrant workers in
Shenzhen will be covered by the government-run medical insurance
scheme this year.
Transportation
The city will make every effort to ease traffic congestion,
especially in the center areas.
The report promises that the city government will reduce bus
fares.
Relevant departments publicly apologized to local residents
after the Meilin Checkpoint saw serious traffic congestions last
year. Public apologies will be required to be made and
responsibility should be claimed once mistakes or neglect of duty
lead to serious damage to public interests.
Environmental protection
Shenzhen will continue treating river pollution. Major projects
include the comprehensive treatment of the Maozhou River as well as
the ecological rehabilitation of Shenzhen's rivers, bays, and other
waters. The sewage treatment plants and sewage network will be
upgraded.
The city will work together with Hong Kong and other Pearl River
Delta cities to control air pollution.
The government will build Shenzhen into a national ecological
and garden city, and push ahead with the construction of ecological
scenic forests, forest parks, suburban parks, urban parks,
community parks and nature reserves.
The city will speed up the construction of the CBD in the center
of the city, Shenzhen Bay's 15-kilometer seashore leisure zone, the
mangrove restoration project on Fengtang River in Futian District,
and the Dapeng Peninsula national geopark. The city's urban and
architectural design will be improved. More efforts will be made to
improve the landscape of key.
(Shenzhen Daily March 22, 2007)