Sci-Tech City promotes coordinated regional growth

Zhongguancun, China's answer to Silicon Valley in the United States, is expanding its presence in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and contributing intelligent support to the region's coordinated development.

The high-tech business hub in Beijing has reached out to Tianjin where its first heavy-asset investment, Beijing-Tianjin Zhongguancun Sci-Tech City, broke ground in early 2017. It came in response to the national call for coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.

Planned to cover a total area of 14.5 square kilometers, the sci-tech city has made substantial progress. So far the 4.19-sq-km first phase has infrastructure in place and the second phase has begun construction.

By importing innovation resources from Beijing's Zhongguancun Science Park, the sci-tech city in Tianjin's Baodi district is injecting vigor into Tianjin's growth and promoting business matchmaking between the municipalities.

Zhang Lijian, one of the first employees in the company responsible for operating the sci-tech city, has been part of the Beijing-Tianjin Zhongguancun Sci-Tech City project since the beginning, from preparing the company's founding to attracting investment and serving businesses.

Zhang, who is now the head of the company's business service department, recalled that even in 2017 when basic infrastructure had yet to be developed in the sci-tech city, five businesses had decided to invest in production facilities there.

What prompted their decision was the established brand of Zhongguancun, Zhang noted.

Among the first companies to select the sci-tech city is Beijing HCC Energy Tech, a high-tech company focused on capacitor technology research and development.

The company, also known as HCCCap, originates in Beijing's Zhongguancun Science Park. When it considered establishing a branch and production facility near Beijing, the sci-tech city, less than 100 kilometers east of Beijing, was the first choice.

After six years of development, the sci-tech city is on the fast track to growth. To date, 1,118 market entities have settled down there. Once they all come on stream, they are projected to generate more than 1.08 billion yuan ($150.84 million) in annual taxes, Beijing Daily reported.

Centering on new-generation information technology; new energy and new materials; advanced equipment manufacturing; biopharmaceuticals and medical equipment; and modern services, the sci-tech city plays a crucial role in the so-called Zhongguancun Baodi model, which features business incubation and technology R&D in Beijing and production in Baodi.

For Zhang, a key annual task is to collect common concerns that local businesses have. Based on this, he will submit a report to local authorities, asking for related policies granted to the businesses and address their needs.

The sci-tech city has made breakthroughs in more than 40 policies, including reciprocal recognition of the high-tech business status between Beijing and Tianjin; reductions in land use costs; reforms of administrative approvals; encouragement to technological innovation; financial support; attracting high-quality human resources and ensuring their children's schooling.

In addition to policy innovations, the sci-tech city has developed a service model and industrial ecosystem similar to Beijing's Zhongguancun. This includes establishing financial supermarkets, industrial funds and comprehensive service centers.