The Qingxu Economic Development Zone in the city of Taiyuan was recognized as a pilot zone in Shanxi in the 2021 "Innovation China" list announced by the Shanxi Association for Science and Technology. 

"Innovation China" is an innovation, entrepreneurship, and creation service brand created by the China Association for Science and Technology. It aims to promote the deep integration of technological innovation and socioeconomic development, and offers business matchmaking services for scientists and entrepreneurs.

Taking advantage of the recognition, the Qingxu Economic Development Zone will persist with technological innovation and aim to develop into a provincial demonstration zone for innovation within three years and a national model in 10 to 15 years.

By 2022, the zone's research and development investment is expected to account for more than 3 percent of GDP. Local economic development, industrial green transformation, energy resource conservation and recycling, pollution control and management, green innovation capacity building, and environmental quality will be significantly improved.

In the long term, the Qingxu Economic Development Zone plans to gather more than 50 high-tech enterprises and over 100 R&D and innovation platforms and build a 100-billion-yuan ($15.63 billion) new coal chemical industrial cluster and a 10-billion yuan high-end equipment manufacturing industrial cluster, becoming a national green industry demonstration zone.