A figure for economic statistics of Jinzhong city [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn] 

The city of Jinzhong in east-central Shanxi province has been accelerating its economic transformation and development, according to local officials. 

They said that as an important part of the Shanxi Transformation and Comprehensive Reform Demonstration Zone, Jinzhong Development Zone has been a major engine for transformation with 10 industrial parks and five major industrial clusters already built.

The city has been building a new industrial hub with operations in high-end equipment manufacturing, new energy vehicles, cultural tourism, biomedicines and modern logistics growing rapidly. 

It has focused on promoting innovation-driven development by encouraging government-business-institute partnerships. The local government has worked with 28 universities and research institutes on 53 projects. 

Officials said the number of high-tech enterprises and technological research and development and innovation carriers in the city is leading the province. 

They added that the growing number of companies has also provided a sound business environment in Jinzhong. 

In terms of its reforms and opening up, Jinzhong has advanced mixed ownership reform of local companies to improve their production and benefits. 

The city has seized opportunities brought about by the Belt and Road Initiative and helped coordinate the development of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region -- and accelerated the introduction and construction of international parks, such as the Aviation Industry Park in Jinzhong Development Zone. 

Qixian county in Jinzhong city was given the green light in July by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology to establish a Belt and Road Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Industrial Cooperation Zone, the first national-level SME Sino-foreign cooperative zone named after the B&R. 

Zhongding Logistics Park in the city has managed regular operations of China Railway Express freight trains to central Asia and Europe.

Officials said Jinzhong has also been committed to improving the lives of locals and their living standards. 

A total of 28 poverty alleviation initiatives have been taken, helping reduce the number of the rural poor from 245,000 in 2014 to 18,000 in 2018. In addition, the overall rural poverty incidence rate dropped to 0.78 percent of the population in 2018 from 10.5 percent in 2014. 

To realize rural revitalization, Jinzhong has built 100-kilometer rural revitalization demonstration corridors in local Yuci, Taigu and Shouyang counties and made more land available to attract more businesses to countryside and develop the rural agricultural industry. 

Five projects targeting the rural living environment have been launched. 

Jiexiu is one of the first counties recognized for the improvement of its rural living environment in China and it is the only one in Shanxi province. 

The construction of urban areas in Jinzhong is also ongoing so as to coordinate development with Taiyuan, capital of Shanxi province.

The city has built a 30-kilometer economic development corridor to the north, sped up the construction of the Xiaohe River Production and Research Zone to the south, developed a vocational education park to the east that can accommodate over 100,000 teachers and students and accelerated the interconnection of infrastructure with Taiyuan to the west. 

On the path to improving its environment, Jinzhong has improved its clean heating system in the urban area. The treatment of the Fenhe and Xiaohe rivers has progressed and more measures -- such as cutting back coal production and controlling vehicle emissions -- have been rolled out.