The 2021 China Auto Supply Chain Conference is held at the WHDZ. [Photo provided to en.whkfq/gov.cn]
Wuhan Economic & Technological Development Zone (WHDZ) has registered a series of handsome results during the beginning of the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25).
Home to eight automobile giants, 12 whole-car manufacturers and over 500 auto spare part suppliers, the development zone has succeeded both in containing the COVID-19 pandemic and achieving remarkable socioeconomic results.
In addition to its pillar industry, the electronics and electric appliance sectors have also seen prosperity to varying degrees. Automobile chips and intelligent connected-related products have been largely improved in the efficiency of their production – and the building sector in the zone has become a 100-billion-yuan ($15.71 billion) business, with an estimated output of 120 billion yuan in the current year.
The number of high-tech firms resident in the zone now exceeds 500, 2.5 times more than five years ago, while a total of 65 Fortune 500 companies have been introduced to the WHDZ.
All the major economic indicators this year have recorded double-digit growth, while the urbanization rate of the zone has been raised by nearly 22 percentage points
During 2021, the "Dragonhawk One" – a seven-nanometer intelligent cockpit chip independently developed by SiEngine Technology Co was launched, and ECARX Technology Co has risen to be WHDZ’s only unicorn enterprise.
The release of innovative recruitment policies by the zone – including the "33 Measures to Promote Innovation, Entrepreneurship" – has led to the introduction of more than 500 top personnel, 24,000 technicians and 19,000 college graduates to date.
By hosting a slew of business and investment promotion activities, the gross amount of investment involved in all kinds of projects at the zone in 2021 has topped 90 billion yuan, with 87 billion yuan already in place. Four 10-billion-yuan major projects, as well as six 3-billion-yuan industrial projects and five 3-billion-yuan modern service programs have been established at the WHDZ.
Along with the deepening of reforms for delegating power, streamlining its administration and optimizing government services, the zone has cumulatively cut fees and taxes for firms by 1.1 billion yuan.
By the end of 2021, the zone's investment in city construction is expected to reach 127.4 billion yuan, with 174 5G base stations and over 1,600 charging piles installed and several transportation projects completed, which have strengthened the bond between the zone and central areas of Wuhan city.
