Spring is the season of new life as well as the perfect time to work hard.
Huaihua, a city that embraces five brooks, has sped up investment promotion across the board. Various enterprises establish business presence there, numerous projects are in full swing, and multiple production machines are roaring.
Investment promotion is the constant driving force for economic development. Huaihua Municipal Party Committee and People’s Government of Huaihua City designated this year as the “Year of Investment Promotion”. Giving priority to Huaihua International Land Port, the “5+N” modern industrial system and integrated development of Hecheng District and Zhongfang County, the authorities carefully orchestrated “1+3+N” investment promotion activities and vigorously carried out the “six actions” to promote investment. The authorities also convened a high-level, high-standard city-wide investment promotion and industrial development conference, which was the first conference held in the Year of the Loong. Taking investment promotion as the top priority, the conference helped foster the strong atmosphere and momentum of vigorously promoting investment and developing industries.
In January and February this year, Huaihua introduced 100 projects, with a total investment of RMB33,733 million, representing a year-on-year increase of 23.15% and 7.89% respectively. Among them, 14 projects have a scale of over RMB1 billion, with a total investment of RMB20.5 billion; and four are enterprise projects of the three types of top 500 enterprises, with a total investment of RMB3.27 billion.
On February 19, Huaihua convened a high-level, high-standard city-wide investment promotion and industrial development conference, which was the first conference held in the Year of the Loong, with an aim to vigorously carry out the primary task of investment promotion. (Photo by: Yang Zhiwei, omnimedia reporter from Huaihua Daily)
Promoting investment through industrial chains to foster new growth drivers
Huaihua has leveraged industrial chains and encouraged chain leaders to come to the frontline, in a bid to promote investment.
Huaihua has given full play to the leading role of industrial chain leaders and encouraged them to come to the frontline, so as to meet entrepreneurs face to face, tackle problems head on, and concentrate efforts to extend, supplement and strengthen industrial chains.
In the past few days, leaders of industrial chains (responsible leaders) have taken the lead in going out to launch investment promotion activities. They coordinated projects of central enterprises and industrial leading enterprises, came to the frontline of project development, and addressed project difficulties.
On March 19, Xu Zhongjian, Secretary of the Huaihua Municipal Party Committee and chief chain leader, visited Xinhuang Huangjing City Co., Ltd., Xinhuang Ziqiang Packaging Co., Ltd., Xinhuang Sanxin Barium Industry Co., Ltd. and Changsha Daoshang Recycling Technology Co., Ltd. to examine their R&D, production and operation. He also visited Xinhuang Chemical Industrial Park to learn about project investment and development status. On March 25 and 26, Xu Zhongjian led a team to carry out investment promotion activities in Beijing. They inspected such key enterprises as China Paper Investment Co., Ltd. and COFCO Corporation, extending, supplementing and strengthening industrial chains with dedicated efforts.
On March 12 and 13, Li Chunqiu, Deputy Secretary of the Huaihua Municipal Party Committee, Mayor of Huaihua City and chief chain leader, led a team to China Co-op Group, Sinopharm, Xiuzheng Pharmaceutical Group and other enterprises, with the intention of deepening pragmatic cooperation. On March 20 and 25, Li Chunqiu visited Huaihua Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone and Mayang to examine the development of industrial projects and discuss with relevant departments to solve project financing and other problems.
He Zunqing, Deputy Secretary of the Huaihua Municipal Party Committee, Secretary of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of CPC Huaihua Municipal Committee and leader of the municipal TCM industrial chain, visited Beijing, Tonghua (in Jilin Province) and Bozhou (in Anhui Province) for negotiation and investment promotion. Li Wanqian, Director of the Standing Committee of Huaihua Municipal People’s Congress, Secretary of its leading Party group, and leader of the municipal machinery equipment industrial chain, went to Changsha to coordinate with SANY Group on SANY’s intelligent equipment manufacturing project. Yin Yuying, Chairman of the CPPCC Huaihua Municipal Committee, Director of its leading Party group and leader of the municipal new energy and equipment industrial chain, received vice president of Dongfang Electric Co., Ltd. and his delegation. Both parties intended to deepen cooperation in new energy, wind power and energy storage.
Li Weilin, Secretary General of Huaihua Municipal Party Committee, member of its standing committee and leader of the municipal electronic component industrial chain, led a team to Hunan Provincial Federation of Industry and Commerce to coordinate the preparations for the 11th Global Forum for Hunan Entrepreneurs. With the support of the federation, Li Weilin invited entrepreneurs who serve as standing executive members of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce as well as over 10 leading enterprises in national industrial associations to inspect and invest in Huaihua. Zhang Yuansong, member of the Standing Committee and Director of the Publicity Department of Huaihua Municipal Party Committee as well as responsible leader of municipal cultural tourism, visited Beijing to negotiate cultural tourism projects. Zou Xingwang, member of the Standing Committee of Huaihua Municipal Party Committee, Deputy Mayor of Huaihua City and leader of the bag & leatherware industrial chain, went to Hebei, Shanghai and Zhejiang to inspect bag and bag accessory enterprises. He signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Baomate Global Bag Industrial Internet Service Platform in Pinghu City.
Han Xiaobo, Deputy Mayor of Huaihua City and responsible leader of municipal commercial trade logistics, went to Beijing. He visited China International Freight Forwarders Association. He also contacted Aikang Holding Group and invited it to visit Huaihua in the near future. Du Dengfeng, Deputy Mayor of Huaihua City and leader of the municipal seed and food industrial chains, contacted Yuangu Shidai Company. The two parties initially reached the cooperative intention to establish hybrid rice seed production bases in key seed production counties, cities and districts in Huaihua.
Other industrial chain leaders (responsible leaders) also led teams to promote investment outside Huaihua City or invite merchants to visit Huaihua. They actively attracted enterprises and foreign investment and planned for and carried out activities to attract investment and talent.
“Huaihua boasts strong economic and industrial development momentum. We will deepen cooperation with Huaihua across the board, plan for major projects and increase investment, so as to jointly foster a favorable environment for common development,” said the entrepreneurs.
In line with the provincial 4×4 modern industrial system, Huaihua has further refined its “5+N” modern industrial system. Based on the original layout of “three diagrams and two databases”, it has developed the new layout of “two diagrams, two databases, two teams and three pools”, thereby consolidating the foundation for investment promotion of industrial chains.
Huaihua has conducted in-depth analysis of the three types of top 500 enterprises, enterprises that use special and sophisticated technologies to produce novel and unique products, and high-tech enterprises. Leveraging its regional and resource advantages, it has marketed and planned 158 investment promotion projects, with an aim to extend, supplement and strengthen industrial chains.
Huaihua has achieved fruitful results in industrial chain-based investment promotion. On March 13, at the 2024 Cold Chain Entrepreneur Summit and Huaihua International Land Port Green Food Industry Investment Promotion Matchmaking Conference, Huaihua International Land Port signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the Cold Chain Logistics Committee of CFLP and signed nine projects, including the Good Buyer e-commerce industrial park project. On March 17, the Huaihua-Hong Kong cooperation demonstration zone project jointly launched by People’s Government of Huaihua City and Sunwah Group kicked off. Leading enterprises engaging in biopharmacy, new materials and freight transportation of packages with a weight ranging from 500 kilograms to three tons will be the first enterprises to establish presence in Huaihua. On March 22, Huaihua Agriculture and Forestry Development and Investment Group Co., Ltd. signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Guangxi Zhaohe Seeds Co., Ltd. According to the agreement, the group is the only strategic partner of Zhaohe in western Hunan, with the order amount exceeding RMB30 million...
In January and February, Huaihua introduced 95 industrial (chain) projects, with a total investment of RMB32,963 million, accounting for 95% and 97.71%, respectively.
By launching various projects and fostering new growth drivers for the development of industrial chains, Huaihua further advances its high-quality economic development.
On February 8, Huaihua held an informal talk for encouraging Huaihua merchants and alumni to start business in their hometown. 15 projects were signed on site, with a total investment of RMB5,635 million. (Photo by: Yang Zhiwei, omnimedia reporter from Huaihua Daily)
Boosting investment vitality through special leading groups
“Going out” and “bringing in” are key to investment promotion.
Huaihua has seized the important opportunities in the new round of industrial transfer and taken an active approach. Based on the achievements made in local investment promotion last year, the city set up four special leading groups for investment promotion in such key areas as the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the Yangtze River Delta, the Greater Bay Area and Chengdu-Chongqing economic zone. Specifically, municipal leaders serve as contacts, division-level officials lead teams to station in these areas, and group members are assigned based on industrial characteristics of each area.
Huaihua has gone full steam ahead to promote investment. After the city-wide investment promotion and industrial development conference, on February 21, all of the four special leading groups for investment promotion arrived at their responsible areas. They completed house renting and other logistics support work at primary time and relied on chambers of commerce and associations to engage and coordinate with relevant parties.
Liang Jinfang, leader of the special leading group in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, followed the provincial special leading group in Beijing and led her group members to engage with relevant parties. They visited and engaged with 27 central and state-owned enterprises as well as private Hunan enterprises, including over 20 bag & leatherware enterprises in Baigou Town, China Association of Women Entrepreneurs, and chambers of commerce and associations. With close attention paid to R&D and innovation achievements, they engaged with eight scientific research institutions including the Institute of Physics of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kilo-Innovation Research Institute and Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences and visited Ding Hong, Fang Zhong and other academicians. They also engaged with eight national ministries and commissions, including the National Development and Reform Commission and Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. With the support of these institutions, they managed to reach out to more enterprises. Moreover, three matchmaking meetings were held for Huaihua’s bag & leatherware industrial chain, cultural tourism and TCM industrial chain.
“Huaihua boasts the international land port and a favorable location. It relies on the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor and the Great International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, connects the Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean, and serves the domestic and international economic flows. By leveraging these advantages, we will extensively attract entrepreneurs and investors to come to Huaihua for inspection and negotiation and introduce high-end, high-quality projects that boast great stimulating effects, broad prospects and remarkable benefits and suit port development.” Huang Meifang, leader of the second special leading group for investment promotion in the Greater Bay Area, was full of confidence.
Zhou Huaizhi, leader of the special leading group in the Chengdu-Chongqing economic zone, communicated the visiting plans with some merchants from the Huaihua Chamber of Commerce in Chengdu and Chongqing. “With focus on Huaihua’s resources, location, transportation, international land port and other advantages, the ‘5+N’ modern industrial system, demands of Huaihua enterprises, and industrial characteristics of the Chengdu-Chongqing economic zone, we will do a good job in investment promotion coordination and prioritize such sectors as electronic information, traditional Chinese medicinal materials, cultural and wellness tourism, and energy,” said Zhou Huaizhi.
“Investment promotion work in the Yangtze River Delta boasts new ideas, solid foundation and high-quality resources.” Liu Peidong, member of the special leading group in the Yangtze River Delta, sorted out data and information on leading enterprises, scientific research institutions and industrial parks, striving to introduce as many projects as possible.
Up to now, the special leading groups have visited over 120 chambers of commerce and associations and enterprises and engaged with 37 intended investment projects.
Xinhuang successfully held the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Investment Promotion Conference and Informal Talk on the Return of Hunan Entrepreneurs in Shenzhen, on which 12 projects were signed, with a total investment of RMB10,005 million.
A new upsurge in the return of Hunan entrepreneurs
Huaihua has been exploring and innovating with an open mind. By taking advantage of the 11th Global Forum for Hunan Entrepreneurs to be held in Huaihua in September this year, the city has vigorously carried out an activity under the theme of “reviving hometown bonds and uniting for development”, so as to welcome the upcoming forum.
Through the activity, the information base of Hunan entrepreneurs was refined, investment promotion projects were developed and marketed, constructive suggestions were put forward for the development of Hunan, practical problems were solved, a symposium was held for Huaihua merchants who returned to their hometown for investment and other returning merchants, preferential policies were put in place, and long-term mechanisms were upgraded. These efforts have brought about a new upsurge in the return of Hunan entrepreneurs across the board.
On February 8, Huaihua held an informal talk for encouraging Huaihua merchants and alumni to start business in their hometown. Many attendees expressed their love for hometown and aspiration to make it a better place. The informal talk embodied their deep hometown bond.
“I am amazed by how my hometown has changed and feel so proud of it!” At the informal talk, Liu Daiquan, Chairman of Hunan CCCC Jingwei Information Technology Co., Ltd., made this remark affectionately.
“My hometown has undergone tremendous changes. It used to be a mountainous and poor place, but now it has built its international land port and boasts an international flair,” said Jin Tao, Manager of Weibaishi Trading Hong Kong Co., Ltd.
During the event, various counties (cities and districts), Huaihua International Land Port Economic Development Zone and Huaihua Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone signed 15 projects with relevant enterprises, with an investment amount of RMB5,635 million.
Huaihua has vigorously promoted the return of Hunan entrepreneurs and alumni. Seizing the great opportunity of the return of entrepreneurs during the Spring Festival, the city has extensively carried out activities to engage with Hunan entrepreneurs.
Huaihua, a city embracing five brooks, witnesses an upsurge in the return of Hunan entrepreneurs.
On February 13, main leaders of the Huaihua Municipal Party Committee and People’s Government of Huaihua City invited 13 renowned returning entrepreneurs to renew friendship and plan for future development.
On February 17, Huaihua issued the Activity Scheme for the “Year of Investment Promotion” of Huaihua City, which specifies relevant tasks on the return of Hunan entrepreneurs and aims to transform talent advantages into industrial advantages.
Municipal leaders took the initiative to make door-to-door visits to representatives of returning Hunan entrepreneurs. Various counties (cities and districts) also held informal talks on the return of Hunan entrepreneurs and engaged with enterprises and projects to solve development problems.
Xinhuang successfully held the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Investment Promotion Conference and Informal Talk on the Return of Hunan Entrepreneurs, on which 12 projects were signed, with a total investment of RMB10,005 million.
Yuanling County held an investment promotion conference and informal talk under the theme of “Meeting in the Greater Bay Area and Embarking on a New Journey in Yuanling” at the headquarters of BGI Group. At the event, 11 projects were signed, with a total investment of RMB5.05 billion.
Huaihua Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone actively provided financial services for enterprises. By including quality enterprises in the “Hunan Financial Loan” white list, it strove to address the financing difficulties and high financing costs of enterprises. At present, 31 enterprises have been included in the financial credit risk compensation white list at the provincial and county levels.
Hongjiang Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone, in conjunction with the human resources and social security department, established an employment database and organized seven centralized recruitment activities in various forms. It also worked with the employment bureau to launch recruitment activities in 20 villages and towns, recruiting more than 200 employees for enterprises.
Up to now, Huaihua has initially surveyed 874 Huaihua entrepreneurs who work in other places. County-level leaders have led teams to conduct inspections and solved over 40 problems in recruitment, financing, land use and infrastructure. Over 300 exchange activities targeting Hunan entrepreneurs, including the informal talk for encouraging Huaihua merchants and alumni to start business in their hometown, were held across Huaihua City. Through these activities, over 2,000 Hunan entrepreneurs were approached and 95 projects were signed, with a total investment of RMB24.8 billion.
(Translated by Yu Jie)