Left: A parent picks up her child after school at Weifang Hi-Tech Zone's New Epoch School, a key construction project finished this year. Right: A night view of the Weifang Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone. The zone has put forward measures to upgrade its environment. Photos Provided To China Daily

Area focuses on advantageous industry for expansion, Tang Zhihao reports.

Economic development and living environment enhancement will carry equal weight throughout the Weifang Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone's development process.

The zone has put forward measures this year to upgrade the city's environment so residents can enjoy a higher quality of life in the region.

That is the management's response to more than 5,000 complaints last year about the city's environment.

The city's image upgrade project was launched in June this year to improve citizens' environment.

The city's plan included efforts to curb street vendors without licenses, illegal billboards and unauthorized transportation of construction waste.

Zone hopes for local livability to attract investors

Wang Yonglian, a resident of the zone, said that local residents are happy to see changes including a better vehicle management system, extended roads and cleaner streets without street vendors.

Leading city planning organizations are participating in the city's construction processes. Apart from taking on large-scale environmental improvement projects, the city has developed a joint action and joint punishment mechanism to effectively curb city management problems in everyday life. More than 10 government departments will work together to deal with problems under this system.

Nearly 7,000 problems have been solved under the mechanism, according to local authorities. The city has developed a management platform to record problems identified in city management processes, and then send those problems to responsible government departments to increase response speed.

The zone invested 560 million yuan ($81.36 million) in 41 livelihood enhancement projects in seven areas this year. About 312 million yuan went into educational projects, 139 million yuan into social security and 90 million yuan into the medical service sector this year, according to local government.

The living environment in the zone plays a significant role in attracting global businesses to settle in the area, supporting regional economic development.

The Shengrui Transmission Parts Production Industrial Park development project was promoted in the zone this year. Many businesses have visited the city recently to evaluate the project's potential. Businesses also paid attention to the zone's environment and supporting facilities.

"Businesses assessed our innovative projects, industrial development and living environment when meeting with us," said Wang Liang, director of the Comprehensive Services Department of the zone's investment promotion bureau.

During the first three quarters of 2016, 135 high-tech projects were registered in the zone. A total of 21 projects with individual investment higher than 50 million yuan have broken ground in the development zone.

"We have to consider urban development work a key task of government in this new era. We need a blueprint that incorporates our history, culture and key features of the city," said Chu Baojie, Weifang's director of communication and Party chief of the zone's working committee. "We need to broaden our horizons, innovate our support systems and take more responsibility so we can develop a city that can well adapt to future trends."

The development zone has developed error tolerance mechanisms so responsible officials are more comfortable putting their new ideas into practice. It also has mechanisms to punish those officials and government staff members who do not maintain an active working style.

The city environment has supported the city's internationalization processes over the past few years.

Roberto Ramirez, a software developer with more than 18 years of experience, partnered with Lovett Homes in the zone to develop software named Builders Access to assist in construction projects managing.

The system allows property developers to monitor and manage property development projects, from the purchase of land to aftersales services in overseas markets.

"I have witnessed the rapid development of the region. I have to get used to the life here," said Ramirez. "I have visited the development zone every year since 2010 and stay here longer each time."