Shanghai, China's major economic powerhouse, is set to establish a group of scientific and technological industry bases in its suburban areas with the cooperation of foreign enterprises.
According to the municipal Science and Technology Commission, a group of suburban districts and counties will be selected to develop new scientific and technological industry bases.
The bases, each with distinctive characteristics, would give priority to the development of high value-added products as well as service facilities.
The development of the bases would focus on sectors in integrated circuit design, multi-media research, trade transport, new and high technology, biological medicines and software development, sources with the commission said.
Foreign enterprises which join in the development would be granted preferential treatment in terms of employment, rents, use of land, electricity and water, as well as exports and imports, the source added.
(Xinhua News Agency April 16, 2003)