Innovation powers economic renaissance
High-flying progress symbolized by space launch and development of advanced rapid trains
The northeastern traditional industrial base of Jilin is unleashing innovation to revitalize its economy, as shown in the recent development of its frontier science and technology sectors.
Over the first months of this year, several landmark developments have taken place in these sectors.
On Jan 19, a Long March 11 rocket carrying six satellites was successfully launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Gansu province.
The six satellites included two developed by scientists in Jilin.
The two satellites means that a total of 10 Jilin-1 satellites are now in orbit.
The Jilin-1, developed by the Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics — a subsidiary of the Chinese Academy of Sciences — is the first series of high-resolution remote sensing satellites for commercial use independently developed in China.
“The group of satellites can cover the entire landmass of China and regions beyond as well,” said Xu Kai, deputy engineer-in-chief of the Jilin-1 program.
Another key development recently, on Jilin’s technology front, is the successful roll-out of the world’s first all-carbonfiber composite materials railway vehicle body off the production line at CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles on Jan 7.
The breakthroughs have marked the latest achievements in Jilin’s strategy to use innovation as the driver for high-quality growth.
“The strategy focuses on speeding up emerging, strategic sectors and upgrading traditional pillar industries with new and high technologies,” said Bayin Chaolu, Party chief of Jilin province.
The high-tech and intelligence resources that Jilin can harness for its innovation-driven economic revitalization initiative include its 121 research institutions and 62 institutes of higher learning.
The Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics — the developer of the Jilin-1 satellites — is a representative of this dynamic force.
The institute has invested in an astronautical information industry park, which became operational recently.
The park aims to develop a 10-billion-yuan ($1.58 billion) industrial cluster, according to Jia Hongguang, deputy general manager of Changguang Satellite Technology, the satellite unit of CIOFMP.
“We plan to forge an entire industrial chain, ranging from the acquisition of satellite information to various other applications,” Jia said.
In addition to consolidating the province’s traditional strengths in science and technology, Jilin is working to attract more innovative, hightech projects from the rest of the country and the world.
Newly settled projects following the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, which was held in October last year, include the Zhongguancun Information Valley Innovation Center and Changchun Cuican Industrial Park.
To support these new projects, the Jilin provincial government has rolled out a number of preferential policies.
One such policy is the socalled “innovation coupon,” which is specifically issued for medium and small-sized tech companies. They can use the coupons to utilize laboratory tests, patent agents and other public services at no charge.
“The coupons can help us to reduce operational costs substantially, because as a small company we can’t afford to buy every set of lab equipment,” said Lu Yunlong, laboratory director at Changchun Weishi Testing Technology Services.
The province plans to strengthen its cooperation with China’s major innovation parks for building research infrastructure. A total of eight key labs will be built this year, according the Jilin Development and Reform Committee.
“Building on our existing capabilities to innovate, we plan to develop five competitive industries in Jilin province — biomedicine, electronic information, high-performance fiber, satellite applications and railway vehicles,” said An Guiwu, head of the committee.