Xiamen Torch Development Zone for High Technology Industries in Xiamen, East China's Fujian province, is consolidating its leading position by issuing policies to cultivate "little giant companies".
Little giant companies refer to leading small and medium-sized enterprises that specialize in niche sectors, command a high market share and boast strong innovative capacity and core technologies.
Since it was established in 1990 and later approved among the first batch of national high-tech zones by the State Council in 1991, the zone has been on a development fast track.
This month, the Fujian Department of Commerce announced the results of an evaluation of the comprehensive development level of 97 development zones located in the province. Xiamen Torch Development Zone for High Technology Industries ranked first among them. Its development in terms of scale, intensive land use, scientific and technological innovation, open cooperation and actual utilization of foreign capital topped all zones.
Local officials said that it's the sixth consecutive year that the zone has taken first place in the big test held by the provincial government.
The zone also shows its vibrant and strong performance in other rankings. It ranked 16th among 169 national high-tech zones in China; its photoelectric display industry has been awarded the highest level for the second consecutive year; for the third time, its efforts to promote mass entrepreneurship and innovation were praised by the General Office of the State Council.
From January to September this year, the industrial added value of the zone increased by 12.1 percent and the investment in fixed assets increased by 28.3 percent. A total of 1,246 new projects with a total investment of 117.53 billion yuan ($18.38 billion) got off the ground. Of them, 35 are leading projects with a total investment of 27.47 billion yuan.
During the same period, the actual investment from domestic capital stood at 18.61 billion yuan and the investment from foreign capital was 1.42 billion yuan. The total paid-in foreign investment made in the zone reached 3.2 billion yuan.
This year, for those little giant companies, the zone has issued a series of policies to offer them support.
According to the zone's administrative committee, little giant companies are able to fill in the missing parts and key links in the industrial chain. The zone aims to have more than 100 such companies by 2025.
Little giant companies on the list policies to offer them support. According to the zone's administrative committee, little giant companies are able to fill in the missing parts and key links in the industrial chain. The zone aims to have more than 100 such companies by 2025. Little giant companies on the list of their total equipment investment at most.
Local officials said that starting from this year, those registered in the pool will be given R&D expense subsidies next year. Each will receive the maximum subsidy of 3 million yuan per year.
In terms of optimizing the environment for enterprise growth, the zone will support companies that have increased capital, expanded production and newly purchased equipment worth more than 5 million yuan. Some having property in the zone will be given subsidies according to the actual rented area. Others in dire need of construction land will be accommodated.
This year, the zone launched the nation's first non-academic educational institution in a high-tech zone - Xiamen Torch University - to offer training courses for executives and experts with little giant companies, who can also join a federation to connect other companies in the zone and seek out collaborations.
In addition, employees at little giant companies can enjoy preferential housing at 50 percent off the market price in the zone.
Speaking of financial support, local officials said the zone will take a multipronged approach. It will increase its investment in little giant companies in the zone. Those listed on domestic stock exchanges will be given a total subsidy of 5 million yuan in stages.
To solve financing problems faced by companies, the zone has set up a financial service platform, which integrates the high-quality products and services of various financial institutions, such as banking, insurance, financial leases and funds. As long as companies submit their demands online, they can get the financial products they want in just one stop.
The latest data show that the zone is now home to 358 companies that have been awarded the title of leading innovative SMEs. Of them, 29 have national-level recognition, accounting for nearly 40 percent of the total number of such companies in Xiamen. According to the zone, this is a vivid screenshot of how the zone is marching toward innovation driven high-quality development. It will increase its financial investment by more than 100 million yuan per year to further support these companies, according to local officials.
Guo Wei, Liu Qing and Li Shun contributed to this story.
China Daily
From:swj.xm.gov.cn
