Night view of the Shenyang Daoyi Economic Development Zone, Shenyang city, Liaoning [Photo provided to China Daily]

The Shenyang Daoyi Economic Development Zone was established in April 1992, with Shenyang municipal government approval, in the southwest part of the Shenbei New Area, with a planned space of 150 square kilometers, and a population of 150,000.

It got Science and Technology Ministry approval in 1998 as a national intensive industrial area, and Liaoning provincial government approval as a provincial economic development zone, in 2002, and has become a strategic development zone and cultural and creative center for Shenyang, a communications base for Liaoning, and a national animation industry base.

In 2013, it had a gross regional product of 18.48 billion yuan ($3 billion), 27.18 billion yuan in investment, revenues of 950 million yuan, $134 million worth of foreign investment and exports worth $183 million. It can rely on the technological and innovation strengths of its university town and the competitiveness of the Shenbei Ecological Business District, and depends heavily on its mobile phone and optoelectronics industries to build an ecological town and emerging industries.

Its pillar industries are emerging and services industries, with the former giving priority to the culture industry, top equipment, and new energies with the backing of Shenbei business district, Shenyang mobile phone park, Shenbei university town and Huaqiang cultural and creative industry park to make commercial use of research and the integration of IT applications. In the case of the service industries, it emphasizes ecological dwellings, commercial services, tourism, leisure, sports and entertainment, education and training, medical care and community services, with the backing of Colorful Food Court, China Resources Vanguard, Dashang New-Mart, Yongsheng Spring, Shengjing Hospital, Tianxing Passenger Transport, and Yurun Global Procurement Agricultural Product Center to build brands for northern Shenyang and Northwest China.

The zone expects to have about 1 million by 2030 and to become a scientific development demonstration site for urban construction, ecologically sound construction, a harmonious society, and an innovator for Shenyang. The zone is now focusing on major projects in power equipment, laser equipment, solar energy, communications, software, and information services and welcomes organizations and enterprises from China and abroad to come invest and get involved.