Inner Mongolia autonomous region will implement a rejuvenation strategy in its northeastern regions with a focus on the development of five eastern cities – Tongliao, Hulunbuir, Chifeng, Hinggan League and Xiliin Gol League, according to a conference held in Tongliao, Nov 7.

During the development process of Inner Mongolia, the GDP and fiscal strength of the five cities used to lead all 12 prefectural cities in the region. However, the five cities gradually fell behind when challenged by the market economy. At present, the proportion of traditional industries, including coal, metallurgy, chemistry, agricultural and livestock products processing, is close to 90 percent.

Next, a series of development measures will be introduced to the five cities, involving reforms in major aspects, cultivation of competitive sectors and increased opening-up.

Through industrial restructuring, the regional government will concentrate on sectors with potential for development, such as new energy, new materials, energy saving and environmental protection, big data cloud computing, traditional Mongolian medicine and the service industry.

Some reforms have begun. Tongliao is building a beef industrial chain. Hulunbuir is working to develop Manzhouli into a key platform for taking part in international cooperation. Chingfeng plans to construct a sub-port economic zone. Hinggan League is promoting standard green production for agricultural and livestock products, while Xiliin Gol League is turning into a center for high-end livestock products through increasing breeding scale for cows but not sheep.

A line of cars move on the road near Manzhouli, in Hulunbuir, Inner Mongolia autonomous region.  Manzhouli as an important port county connecting European countries has a well-developed transportation system. [Photo/VCG]

Cows graze on the grassland in Xiliin Gol League. [Photo/VCG]