On November 26, 2011, the Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government held a meeting about implementing the Waist Strengthening Project and rejuvenating Jingzhou, which kicked off the campaign of making high speed development in the city.
Over the past two years, Jingzhou has been working hard to build a new image and implement the Waist Strengthening Project in the fields of industry, transport, downtown rejuvenation, county economy and culture. A dynamic atmosphere and momentum have appeared in the city. During the 2nd year of the project, what kinds of results have been achieved in the project featured by stimulus in 5 aspects?
As the Waist Strengthening Project is implemented, Jingzhou has embraced the most important development opportunity ever seen in its history. Today, Jingzhou has many ongoing projects and construction sites. The city is motivated, has direction, and full of hope. However, what changes have occurred in Jingzhou compared with one year ago?
Developing Industry to Strengthen the Waist
Added value of large-scale enterprises increased from 28.51 billion to 35.117 billion yuan
During the first three quarters of 2012, Jingzhou realized 28.51 billion yuan in added value of large-scale enterprises, up by 16.5% year on year. The Waist Strengthening Project is showing initial results. More large projects have been set up in Jingzhou. Investment projects exceeding 100 million yuan have been growing robustly. Between January and September 2012, the city had 270 projects under construction which were worth 100 million yuan and above, up by 137 year on year. The city realized local fiscal revenues of 6.769 billion yuan, up by 20.7%. The local general fiscal revenues stood at 4.209 billion yuan, up by 24.2%. The urban per capita disposable income reached 12,719 yuan, growing by 14.0% year on year. In the first three quarters of 2013, the added value of large-scale enterprises in Jingzhou rose by 14% year on year, ranking 3rd in the province and 2.5 percentage points higher than the average level for the province. The number of large-scale enterprises reached 847, rising by 123 enterprises. The city has finalized the target for developing large-scale enterprises for the whole year in advance. Large-scale enterprises in the city achieved an added value of 35.117 billion yuan, ranking 8th in the province and growing by 6.607 billion yuan with a monthly added value at 3.9 billion yuan. In the first three quarters, the city had 388 projects under construction, up by 118 projects year on year with 52.78 billion yuan in investment finalized. Large-scale enterprises in the city achieved a business revenue of 117.97 billion yuan from their core business and realized a total profit of 5.28 billion yuan.
Large Investment in Transport to Strengthen the Waist
Investment in infrastructure rose from 4.04 billion to 6.35 billion yuan
Since the Waist Strengthening Project was implemented 2 years ago, Jingzhou has facilitated a number of highway and port construction projects to ensure waist strengthening in the field of transport. Between January and September 2012, Jingzhou finalized 4.04 billion yuan of investment in transport infrastructure. Between January and September this year, the city achieved 6.35 billion yuan of investment in transport infrastructure, 84.7% of the planned investment for the year. This year’s infrastructure investment was 157% of that in the same period last year. 5 highways with a total mileage of 244 km and investment of 21.5 billion yuan are under construction in 6 counties and sub-cities in Jingzhou. The scale and number of transport infrastructure projects hit a record high in Jingzhou. As of now, all the investors for the highway construction projects in the 12th Five-year Plan have been confirmed and all these projects have been included in the investment plan. Highway development in our city has entered into its peak period. This year it is expected that 4 billion yuan of investment will be finalized. Port construction in Jingzhou is now in the leading position in the province. The combined Jingzhou Port, namely, “1 port and 10 areas” project, is now under construction and 740 million yuan of investment has been achieved. This year, 4 port construction projects will be completed, 8 projects are under construction, 5 projects have been commenced, and 11 projects are now in the process of preliminary preparations. The city has finalized 56km of roadbeds and 29.7km of road surfaces of first-grade highways, 167.1km of roadbeds and 103.5km of road surfaces of second-grade state or provincial highways, renovated 32.6km of county/township highways, 893km of highways reaching villages, and 8 bridges on rural roads that are 387 meters long. In the 12th Five-year Plan period, the city plans to renovate 691 in-danger bridges. As of now, it has renovated 248 bridges.
Great Endeavors made in Boosting Urban Areas to Strengthen the Waist
Investment in urban infrastructure increased from 1.5 billion to 3 billion yuan
Since Jingzhou began to carry out the Waist Strengthening Project in 2011, the housing administration in Jingzhou has been working hard to serve the project by pouring more investment into urban and rural construction and improving city functions, which has resulted in substantial progress in city quality. In 2012, the city invested 1.5 billion yuan in central urban development, which was a record high. The new district development has taken initial form with the construction of Jingbei New District, Shabei New District and CBD of Jingzhou Development Zone. Unprecedented efforts have been made to build industrial parks. The urban development in its counties and sub-cities has also been accelerated. These counties and sub-cities are building new downtowns and expanding urban area by concentrating on the construction of industrial parks. More investment has been made into infrastructure with evidently accelerated growth. More than 3 billion yuan has been invested in urban infrastructure in the 6 counties and sub-cities of Jingzhou; 60% of the total urban infrastructure investment for the 11th Five-year Plan period. In 2013, Jingzhou City, by following the theme of “preparing for the Provincial Games and building a new Jingzhou”, has worked hard to construct Jingbei New District, Shabei New District and CBD and Development Zone while focusing on the construction of city-level and district-level industrial parks. At the same time, it has improved the city functions and plans to invest 3.088 billion yuan in central urban development. By the end of September this year, Jingzhou had completed 1.231 billion yuan of investment in urban areas, including 1.085 billion yuan in planned construction, accounting for 35.14% of the total planned investment for the year. It has also completed 146 million yuan in investment for transfer or continued projects. Moreover, Jingzhou built and renovated 44.67km of urban roads, 6.45km of water supply pipes, 57.5km of sewage pipes, 73.85km of gas pipes and built 27.89 hectares of urban green spaces. At the same time, the city plans to invest 2.1 billion yuan in urban construction in its 6 counties and sub-cities. By the end of September, it had completed 1.317 billion yuan of investment, including 896 million yuan in planned construction; 42.67% of the total planned investment for the year. It also completed 421 million yuan of investment for transfer or continued projects.
Rejuvenating County Economies to Strengthen the Waist
Sub-cities and districts achieving faster growth rate than expected increased from 7 to 8
Boosting the county economy is an important part in rejuvenating the economy in Jingzhou. Over the past 2 years since the Waist Strengthening Project was implemented, the efforts to boost the county economy have built a new platform for the development of 8 counties, sub-cities and districts in Jingzhou. The comprehensive strength of its county economy has been enhanced comprehensively. In the first 3 quarters in 2012, most counties, sub-cities and districts in Jingzhou saw two-digit growth. The growth rates of Jiangling County (25.27%), Shashi District (22.69%), Songzi City (22.09%), Honghu City (21.71%), Gong’an County (19.34%), Jingzhou District (19.25%) and Jingzhou Development Zone (16.60%) stood above the average level in Jingzhou. In the first 3 quarters in 2013, the added value of large-scale enterprises in counties, sub-cities and districts in Jingzhou maintained a 2-digit growth rate with that in Songzi City, Jiangling County, Shashi City, Jianli County, Shishou City, Honghu City, Gong’an County and Jingzhou District exceeding the average level of the whole city and increasing by 19.7%, 19.2%, 16.9%, 15.8%, 14.7%, 14.5%, 14.3% and 14.2% respectively. The added value of large-scale enterprises in Jingzhou Development Zone rose by 11.6%. County-level industries, playing a prominent supporting role, achieved 27.34 billion yuan in added value of large-scale enterprises, accounting for 77.8% of the total and rising by 5.5 percentage points year on year.
Making Cultural Achievements to Strengthen the Waist
Obtained funds rose from 2.68 million to 2.97 million yuan
The city’s development is not sustainable without cultural prosperity. Since 2011 when Jingzhou started to implement the Waist Strengthening Project, publicity and culture in Jingzhou have seen fruitful results. In 2012, 12 culture projects were signed or commenced in Jingzhou with a total investment reaching 14.8 billion yuan. Jingzhou has gradually established five major cultural industries pillared on radio, TV and film, newspaper/magazine printing, cultural tourism, cultural entertainment and the creativity industry. The average growth rate of added value in the city’s cultural industry has remained at about 20%. By 2015, the added value of cultural industries will account for more than 5% of the gross regional domestic product. We will work hard to ensure the scale, speed and profits of cultural industries in Jingzhou take a leading position in the province, thus becoming an important growth pole in the economic rejuvenation of the city. In 2013, Jingzhou completed the review of the 4th batch of intangible cultural heritage list and application for the 4th batch of provincial intangible cultural heritage list. As of now, Jingzhou has 7 national-level intangible cultural heritage projects and 28 provincial-level intangible cultural heritage projects. If we consider the municipal-level intangible cultural heritage projects announced this time, Jingzhou now has 7 national-level intangible cultural heritage projects, 14 provincial-level intangible cultural heritage projects and 52 municipal-level intangible cultural heritage projects. While accelerating public cultural service infrastructure, Jingzhou built 300 rural libraries in 2012, invested 2.68 million yuan in procuring standard equipment for 4 neighborhood cultural centers and 44 community cultural clubs, thus ensuring all neighborhoods and communities in urban areas have access to standard cultural facilities. In 2013, Jingzhou has made smooth progress in building libraries. It obtained 3 million yuan from the 2nd batch of national support funds. Relocation, ground leveling and prospecting work have been completed. Now the construction design is under way. To fulfill the 10 commitments made by the government, the city has obtained 2.97 million yuan in funds to equip 37 community cultural clubs with standard cultural facilities and upgrade the equipment for 112 public e-libraries. These facilities and equipment are currently being installed.