Late last month, the Shandong local government published a report on the latest development of its new information industry, predicting that by the year 2012, the scale of the new information industry in Shandong Province will be over 400 billion Yuan, with an average annual growth rate of 20%.

According to this plan, Shandong will focus on developing high-end computers and servers, integrated circuits, high-end software, flat panel displays and new components, sensors and RFID, communications network equipment and products, and digital home products. It will also actively promote the building of a new generation of networks as well as digital agriculture and focus on developing digital media, geographic information and other new information services.

To implement the plan, a series of supporting political initiatives are recommended, including building a special fund for new information industrial development, rewarding research, implementing tax incentives, financial credit support, and great efforts to train new information industry professionals.

In 2009, the main businesses of the information industry in Shandong Province realized a total income of 721.1 billion Yuan, ranking fourth over China. The main businesses of the software industry reached an income of 48.4 billion Yuan, an increase of 25%. Communications services revenue reached 50.9 billion Yuan. The total income of the new information industry reached 210 billion Yuan, accounting for 29.1%.

By Dai Yan (China Daily Shandong Bureau)

Editor: Li Jing