Dandong, the largest border city in China, is renowned for its tourism. Now the city is developing precision instruments manufacturing as another economic calling card.

The local government established Liaoning (Dandong) Instrument and Meter Industrial Base in May.

Within three months, factories and workshops filled 1.45 million sq m of space in the new industrial zone.

Within the next five to 10 years, the local government hopes to build an industry cluster valued at 100 billion yuan.

"The instrument and meter industry is our traditional industry. We will make good use of the new coastal economic belt strategy to expand on that advantage and invite new industry," Dandong Mayor Zhao Liansheng said.

"With new industries, Dandong can exert more influence on the region's development," Zhao said.

In the early 1960s, the former Ministry of Machine Building Industry named Dandong the production base for X-ray machines in China.

Today, more than 30 companies in Dandong make 80 percent of the country's X-ray machines. The government recently approved the use of 1,000 sq m of land to augment the existing industrial base with an investment of 300 million yuan.

The Dandong Huatong Measure and Control Co is getting ready to establish operations at the base.

"The local government has given financial preference to our company to locate here," said Qu Haidong, general manager of Dandong Huatong Measure and Control.

"The reductions in our materials, transportation and management costs, along with the upgrades to the base, will improve our competitiveness," Qu said.

The company's products have been used in construction of the National Center for the Performing Arts, Qingdao Olympic Sailing Center and other large projects.

Local authorities said companies that establish operations at the renovated base this year will receive municipal subsidies equal to 15 percent of their registered capital.

New companies also will have rent-free use of factory buildings for the first two years.

"The coastal strategy provided the most preferential policies and the best conditions to expand industry in our area," said Jia Wei, vice director of an administrative committee for Liaoning (Dandong) Instrument and Meter Industrial Base.

This year, 52 businesses from other provinces in China and from Canada and Austria will enter the base with a total investment of 3.3 billion yuan, city officials said.

The local government also is planning to build Liaoning Instrument and Meter College on the base to train new generations of skilled workers.

Main buildings at the campus will be completed by the end of this year.