Innovation drives growth in Hohhot

"Industrial development in Hohhot has followed a more high-end, intelligent and green path in recent years, as it is putting more attention on futuristic industries such as artificial intelligence, commercial aerospace, semiconductors and bioengineering," the mayor said.

He said the city has made efforts to introduce high-end talent, experts and academicians to work in the city, with about 100 arriving in Hohhot every year.

Meanwhile, 53,000 college graduates stayed to work in the city last year, and it hopes to attract 50,000 more this year, he said.

He said the city will offer high-quality jobs, create favorable conditions for entrepreneurship and build "youth residential communities" with high quality and low costs for college graduates so they can stay for the long term and contribute to the building of the city.

Meanwhile, the city has established funds for the development of the six pillar industries, and innovation investment funds to support the development of emerging, futuristic and innovation-driven industries, he said.

It has built a market-oriented and international business environment based on the rule of law and is actively building itself into a model city for the social credit system, the mayor said.

He said the city will also accelerate the building of a new international airport, and plans to increase the number of China-Europe and China-Central Asia freight trains this year, and boost friendly exchanges with sister cities in countries such as Mongolia, Russia and the United States.