On the afternoon of February 18, the conference on high-quality development of Jiangbei New Area (Pilot Free Trade Zone) was convened. The purpose of this meeting was to encourage all levels to forge ahead in high morale following the new development philosophy so as to make new progress in developing modernized new urban areas. Luo Qun, member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Nanjing Committee and Deputy Director of Nanjing Jiangbei New Area Administrative Committee, addressed the meeting and announced the work plan. Zhou Jinliang, Executive Deputy Director of Nanjing Jiangbei New Area Administrative Committee, presided over the meeting. Other leaders of Jiangbei New Area, including Liu Zhiwei, Wangwei, Chen Chanmei, Lin Qikun, and Gao Guhe, also attended the conference.

In the past five years, the achievements made by Jiangbei New Area were truly gratifying, stated Luo Qun. Its GDP net increase registered RMB 150 billion; the total economic volume and general public budgetary revenue doubled; and over 1500 high-tech enterprises settled and developed in this area. All these contributed to Jiangbei New Area’s increasingly important role in the development of Nanjing City and Jiangsu Province. It was particularly worth mentioning that last year, the GDP of Jiangbei New Area exceeded RMB 300 billion and the GDP of areas under its direct jurisdiction contributed to 14.2% of Nanjing’s total. Resident population in Jiangbei New Area was over 2.5 million.

2021, as the juncture of the 13th and 14th Five-Year Plan periods, represents a crucial year for the development of Jiangbei New Area, according to Luo Qun. We should keep this good momentum at the very beginning, focusing our efforts on five key tasks and two major projects.

Five key tasks

First: implementing national strategies to high standard

In line with the national strategy of integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta, we will promote interaction and collaboration with other areas in this region, our shared “community”.

We will accelerate the construction of Nanjing North Railway Station, the railway along the northern bank of the Yangtze River, S4 Nanjing-Chuzhou intercity railway, and Heizhaying Bridge to form a railway network within the metropolitan area.

We will leverage the strength of sci-tech innovation platforms such as Cambridge University-Nanjing Centre of Technology and Innovation and “121” innovation community to promote the development of the headquarters for the Yangtze River Delta science and innovation circle.

Pivoting on the building of Dingshan-Chahe cross-border integrated development demonstration zone, we will promote collaboration between advanced manufacturing industries such as rail transit equipment and smart manufacturing to win-win effect. We will take the development of NingHuai (Nanjing-Huai’an) Special Cooperation Zone a step further with emphasis on building 5G smart manufacturing and smart industry town.

Second: building quality innovation platforms in an efficient way

We will proceed with standard-setting for “121” innovation community, well plan and build “Brain Bay” international talent block. Based on integrated circuit university, we will explore a new model that integrates education and industry, contributing Jiangbei wisdom to the development of proprietary and controllable industrial chain of integrated circuits.

Third: advancing key urban projects with emphasis on quality

We will speed up rail transit projects including the construction of Line 11 and the second phase of Line 4 and continue with cross-river channel projects covering Heyan Road, Xianxin Road, and Jianning West Road to better connect the main urban areas at both sides of the Yangtze River.

We will continue to introduce in quality resources in the fields of education, elder care, and child care.

We will launch pilot projects on the construction of rental housing, the improvement of long-term rental policy, and equal rights granting to renting and purchasing, in a bid to promote the innovation of economic model and function upgrading for traditional business district.

We will speed up the construction of landmark buildings such as the Yangtze River International Conference Center, the new venue of Nanjing Art Museum, and the Jiangbei Library to better present Jiangbei New Area to the world.

We will renovate the former Pukou Railway Station and its surrounding streets in a coordinated manner as part of our continuous efforts in turning the countryside in Jiangbei New Area into beautiful home.

Fourth: creating effective internal driving force for reform

Boldly, we will take the initiative to create new and sci-tech innovation-centered institutional paradigm, blazing new trails instead of following the beaten track.

We will continue our efforts in building digital infrastructure such as the new generation of blockchains and integrated information platforms, developing a smart New Area, deepening subdistrict reform, and improving the community-, social organization-, and social worker-based joint response mechanism, in a bid to create a featured modern social governance model up to national standard for Jiangbei New Area and the Pilot Free Trade Zone. 

Fifth: promoting environmental protection and long-run safety governance following stringent requirements

We will strengthen comprehensive, systematic, and source treatment regarding the ecological environment.

We will start small and focus on the key areas of the production of hazardous chemicals as well as crucial links in hidden risk identification to ensure the safety of Jiangbei New Area.

Two major projects

We will plan for the building of the national (Nanjing) key lab on genes and cells in line with high standard to facilitate the development of Gene Town, which will provide crucial support to Nanjing’s efforts in building itself into a national comprehensive science center and an innovation city with global influence.

In order to build a high-level medical center in the Yangtze River Delta region, we will accelerate the construction of comprehensive hospitals including the second phase of the Jiangbei International Hospital of Drum Tower Hospital and Jiangbei branch of Zhongda Hospital as well as specialized hospitals such as Jiangbei branch of Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, women and children’s health care center in Jiangbei New Area, and eye hospital.

Luo Qun stated that new achievements should be made at the start of a new journey. Jiangbei New Area should align its own development goal with the national one, keep in mind the important mission of setting an example in reform, innovation and high-quality development and in building a new development paradigm, and taking the lead in achieving socialist modernization, contribute to a good start of the 14th Five-Year Plan period as the nation embarks on the journey towards socialist modernization, and present its outstanding performance in building a modernized new urban area as a gift to the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party.

Zhou Jinliang made requirements when presiding over the meeting that in the new year, Jiangbei New Area should continue its efforts in promoting high-quality development, keeping its GDP growth at a rate five points higher than the municipal average. Projects implementation must be forwarded at a faster pace, among which urban construction projects should take shape and present a good image whereas those concerning people’s wellbeing should address the weak links. We should find out and shore up our weaknesses by taking the best as example, break new ground with innovative thinking and hard works, contributing our wisdom and playing well our due role.

The meeting witnessed the attendance of leaders of the Working Commission for Discipline Inspection, People’s Court, Procuratorate, and relevant bureaus of Jiangbei New Area, directors of relevant offices, leaders of central business district, hub economy development and administration office, life and health industry development and administration office, center on public works of Jiangbei New Area, and Yangzi State-owned Investment Group, persons in change of Party-related and government affairs of different subdistricts, members of the Party Committee of affiliated institutions, and persons in charge of departments in relevance.