Tech expo to boost economic growth

The Jiading district in northwest Shanghai launched a Tech Expo on August 30 as a part of its expansion strategy to stimulate economic growth.

About 100 research institutes, universities and enterprises attended the two-day event to display their latest research results and products.

"The expo will become a platform to advance the district's cooperation between universities, research institutes and industry," said Wu Chen, director of the Standing Committee of the Jiading People's Congress.

Local insiders said Jiading has benefited from technological advances it promoted in the past three years, giving a strong impetus to stepping up the development of its advanced manufacturing industry.

Statistics showed that its emerging industries generated output valued at 22.25 billion yuan ($3.53 billion) from January to July, accounting for 17.2 percent of its total industrial output value.

"These new industries have become a driving force for the district's economic development," said Chen Yunzhu, director of the Jiading Science and Technology Commission.

Chen said Jiading will focus in the coming five years on boosting the industries of new-energy automobiles, new information technology, new energy and new materials.

The district plans to enlarge its high-tech park from 2 square kilometers to 18 sq km to provide space for the growth of its high-tech industries, Chen said.

"Our goal is to have 100 R&D centers, engineering technology centers and key laboratories by 2015," she said.

They will help emerging industries to create a combined output value of more than 100 billion yuan by 2015, Chen said.