Academics from Nanjing University wear period costume visiting a Red tourism site in Yangquan. [Photo by Kou Ning for China Daily]

On July 11, officials in the eastern Shanxi city of Yangquan welcomed a group of academics from Nanjing University in East China's Jiangsu province.

The group, with members mainly consisting of scholars with PhD degrees, toured Yangquan for two purposes－visiting its famous Red tourism sites and seeking cooperative opportunities.

Yangquan is known for its history as a major base for the Communist Party of China-led Eighth Route Army to fight the Japanese invaders during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45).

The group visited Shinao Mountain in the suburbs of Yangquan, an important site for the Hundred Regiments Offensive. The major campaign of the Eighth Route Army was commanded by general Peng Dehuai (1898-1974) against the Japanese army in North China in 1940.

After their visit, the group members were received by local officials and both sides held talks.

The officials introduced the city's latest developments, business opportunities and talent-attraction policies to the academics.

Members of the group expressed their intention to cooperate with local businesses in research and development and help to bring industrial projects and introduce professionals to Yangquan.

Sticking to an innovation-driven growth strategy, local officials said Yangquan is seeking professionals and technologies more eagerly than ever.

"To make the strategy possible, we highlight collaborations with China's top universities and research institutions," Jiang Siqing, Party secretary of Yangquan said in a recent conference.

The official said the collaborations will set sights on close partnerships with corporate R&D organizations and introduce and cultivate professionals for local businesses.

Other cities in Shanxi have also stepped up their pace in building connections with China's renowned universities and institutions.

The cities of Taiyuan and Linfen, for instance, received visits of more than 200 academics from famed higher-learning institutions like Tsinghua and Peking universities in Beijing and Fudan and Tongji universities in Shanghai.

According to an action plan released by the Shanxi Committee of the CPC and the Shanxi Provincial Government on June 19, the province will build 12 bases for collaborations with universities.

These bases will cover such fields as R&D, entrepreneurship for university academics and the transfer of university-developed technological results, as well as facilities for training and cultivating professionals.

Shanxi's cooperation with universities has yielded fruitful results.

Taiyuan's collaboration with Tongji University has resulted in the establishment of more than 50 high-tech projects in the areas of robotics, intelligent rail transit, new energy, new materials and smart manufacturing.

Wu Jia contributed to this story.