Government affairs service center of Yangquan High-tech Industrial Development Zone [Photo/Yangquan Evening News]

The Yangquan Economic Development Zone – located in Yangquan city, in North China's Shanxi province – was renamed Yangquan High-tech Industrial Development Zone on July 13 with the approval of the Shanxi Provincial Government.

The Shanxi Provincial Development Zone Construction Work Leading Group Office clarified that the zone's leading industries are new-generation information technology, modern equipment manufacturing and new materials. 

Yangquan city's government was required to strengthen the guidance, management and service for the zone.

An industrial park in Yangquan High-tech Industrial Development Zone [Photo/Yangquan Daily]

Plans are for it to improve the zone's innovation-driven development capabilities, implement high-tech industrial projects there, boost intensive land use and infrastructure construction and increase investment promotions. The aim is to give full play to the zone in boosting the city's high-quality development.

"The name change is of great significance to the establishment of a national high-tech zone in Yangquan," said a top zone official. 

This will help rebalance the industries in the zone and promote the rapid development of strategic emerging industries. It will also promote Yangquan city's integration into the development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and other urban agglomerations. 

Factories are under construction in Yangquan High-tech Industrial Development Zone. [Photo/Yangquan Evening News]

Established in 1993, the zone has focused on innovation-driven development over the past decades. 

It has won recognition for being a "Shanxi Industrial Transfer Demonstration Zone" and a "Shanxi Overseas High-level Talent Innovation and Entrepreneurship Base". It has also been designated as a national demonstration area for industry-city integrated development by National Development and Reform Commission.