Regional/ Regional

Xixian to lead Xi'an's push for western trade

By Ma Lie and Lu Hongyan in Xi'an | China Daily | Updated: 2016-10-19 10:28

Xixian to lead Xi'an's push for western trade

Lewa Adventure, an amusement park, opens last year in Jinghe New City, Xixian New Area in Shaanxi. The area intends to forge a first-class investment environment by including comfortable living facilities. Photos PROVIDED TO China Daily

Every time he introduced the Xixian New Area to foreign visitors, Wang Fei, deputy director of the area’s administrative committee, would quote the classic line of the famous American movie, Sleepless in Seattle:

“What if someone you never met, someone you never saw, someone you never knew was the only someone for you?”

The passage perfectly explains Wang’s feelings about the new area’s potential for businesses.

“I think Xixian New Area is such a new urban district, perfect for your development,” Wang said.

Xixian New Area, a State-level new urban district designed and approved to be constructed by the central government with a total planned area of 882 square kilometers between Xi’an, capital of Shaanxi province, and the nearby city of Xianyang.

The area’s construction was announced on June 13, 2011, in Beijing. The area was intended to serve as an ecological garden city and a new district for Xi’an, which is planned to become an international metropolis, according to the deputy director of the area.

The new area was also intended to lead the expansion of economic development for the inland provinces and regions, as well as a historical and cultural base to reveal the history and culture of the Qin (211-207 BC) and Han (206 BC–220) dynasties for international cultural exchanges. The city is an emerging industrial area for the coordination of scientific and technological resources and the demonstration of construction and development of inland urban and rural areas.

According to Wang, the ambitious plan was made for the rapidly growing area because of its unique location, abundant natural and cultural resources, large population of scientific and educational talents and its preferential policies.

The new area is located at the center of the Eurasian Land Bridge and is the starting point of the Silk Road Economic Belt. The area now has six highways, the largest railway passenger station in Asia and the largest airport in west China.

Inside the planned area are three rivers providing rich water resources. The area also has rich geothermal resources.

The area once served as the capital for the Zhou (1046–256 BC), Qin, Han and Tang (618–907) dynasties, which left a large number of ancient ruins, buildings, sites and imperial tombs as rich historical and cultural resources.

Talking of Shaanxi province, the deputy director noted its more than 1,000 universities, colleges and research institutes and their professional and technical personnel of nearly 1.5 million. The area has been implementing a number of measures to attract high-quality scientific and educational resources to provide intellectual support and personnel for enterprises in the area.

Wang said that the central and provincial governments paid great attention to the construction of the new area and have approved a series of preferential policies to drive the development of enterprises in the area.

Xi’an and Xianyang around the new area have a population of more than 10 million and the GDP per capita of the two cities is approximately $10,000, a huge consumer market to make it easier for enterprises to develop in the new area.

“If you missed the development chances in Shenzhen and Pudong, please come here,” Wang invited investors, both home and abroad. “We believe that the new area can help you realize your dream of development and will make great returns to all investors.”

Xixian to lead Xi'an's push for western trade

Contact the writers through malie@chinadaily.com.cn