The development of the Yellow River Delta, recently endorsed as a part of national strategy, marks a new era for the region.

According to Jiang Daming, governor of Shandong province, the Yellow River Delta is the last river delta in China that has great development potential. It is located in the southwest of the Bohai Bay, north of the Yangtze River Delta and south of Beijing and Tianjin.

The State Council approved the development plan for the region last November.

"This is the first eco-efficient economic zone in China," Jiang said, "The zone's development will help China's coastal economies and enhance the overall strength of the Bohai Bay region and Shandong."

The plan will focus on creating an eco-efficient economy and aims to develop in a way that is socially and economically sustainable.

Jiang said the provincial government has established a special office to oversee the implementation of the program.

Port-based zones

The program will prioritize the development of port-based industrial zones, making them powerful engines of the growth of the delta.

Construction of such zones is now underway at Dongying, Binzhou, Weifang and Laizhou ports.

The Dongying zone will focus on developing industries including fine chemicals, energy, hi-tech, eco-tourism and eco-friendly agriculture.

A recycling demonstration center will be built in Binzhou, featuring such industries as logistics, petrochemical and shipbuilding.

Weifang will highlight ship engine manufacturing, automobile production, and marine chemicals.

In Laizhou, several industrial clusters will be formed ranging from electricity, metallurgy, and fine chemicals to modern agriculture.

Infrastructure

Many projects are planned or are under construction to improve infrastructure in the delta region, including roads, railways, airports and seaports.

In the next three years, investment for such infrastructure projects will exceed 65 billion yuan.

Three railways are currently being built, with a total investment of 23.5 billion yuan.

In Dongying, the central city of the delta region, two 30,000-ton-class harbors have been built, and two 50,000-ton-class liquid chemical harbors are under construction. In addition, the Dongying airport is due to be expanded so that it will have a passenger throughput of 1 million people, and international services linking countries such as Japan and South Korea.

There will also be projects relating to cleaning rivers and desalination of seawater and these will be an important part of the program.

The development of the Yellow River Delta Eco-efficient Zone will be carried out in two phases.

By 2015, the region's gross domestic product is expected to reach 930 billion yuan, doubling the 2008 figure. At the same time, substantial improvements will be made in environmental protection, energy saving and emissions reduction, leading to the basic formation of a recycling economy, with an efficient industrial structure, good infrastructure and better living environment.

By 2020, the region will build a more competitive and modern eco-industrial system and form a State-level high-efficiency ecological economic zone that is economically prosperous with a pleasant natural and living environment.

Source:chinadaily Author:Ju Chuanjiang and Dai Yan