The Quantum Innovation Index of the Hefei High-tech Zone (2020), a barometer of the zone's innovation capabilities, rose by 7.03 to 121.97 points in 2019, the compilers of the index said on Dec 18.

The index was jointly compiled by the administrative committee of the Hefei National High-tech Industry Development Zone and the Institute of Science and Development of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

The index is based on five indicators, including driving forces of innovation, reform, integrated development, international influence, and technology.

According to the index, the zone is attracting more and more international talents, and in 2019, foreign residents and overseas returnees made up 3.97 percent of all workers in the zone, ranking second among the 10 national high-tech zones included in the country's plan to build world-class high-tech zones.

The local government and enterprises in the zone are offering their full support to technological innovation. From 2015 to 2019, the average annual growth rate of the zone's fiscal expenditures on science and technology was 68.62 percent, while the enterprises' R&D expenditures accounted for 3.5 percent of total operating income, ranking sixth and fourth respectively among the 10 zones.

In addition, the zone ranked third among the 10 national high-tech zones in terms of number of innovation patents.

Thanks to the upgrading of its industrial structure, in 2019, the industrial added value of the Hefei High-tech Zone steadily increased to 32.33 percent, ranking first among the 10 zones.

In 2019, the zone's technical service exports accounted for 21.86 percent of total exports, also ranking first among the 10 zones.

Liu Huiwu, director of the China High-tech Zone Research Center, unveils the innovation index on Dec 18. [Photo/WeChat account: hefeigaoxinfabu]