Future economic development in Zhanjiang will be innovation-driven and environmentally friendly, local officials promise.

For this purpose, the city has a number of plans to boost high-tech development, advanced manufacturing and further opening-up.

For instance, the Zhanjiang government has made the creation of a maritime high-tech valley a key strategy in its innovation-driven development. It will use the valley to optimize public services and help entrepreneurs start businesses and innovate.

Officials from the Economic and Information Bureau said the city aims to build the valley into a demonstration area of maritime science and technology research and development, incubation and industrialization in South China.

The city is also furthering the development of advanced equipment manufacturing.

It has its own implementation measures for the provincial development plan for intelligent manufacturing from 2015 to 2025. The Zhanjiang government will continue to support the development of industrial robots and help companies build intelligent workshops and plants.

The city will also continue to promote cleaner production. The government guided and supervised cleaner production by 55 companies in major industries, including petroleum processing and the smelting of nonferrous metals, in the first half of this year.

The city has formulated documents for a recycling-based economy, and is a pilot city in that respect in Guangdong.

Officials said they would make it possible for more residents to walk, ride bicycles and take buses in the city to protect the environment.

As a coastal city, Zhanjiang plans to build itself into an important area for maritime cooperation among countries and regions related to the Belt and Road Initiative, referring to the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road initiatives proposed by President Xi Jinping in 2013.

Construction on the first phase of the Zhanjiang bonded logistics center will be completed in October, according to local media.

The center is planned to cover an area of 39 hectares with total investment expected to be 535 million yuan ($84 million).

Zhanjiang will implement a strategy of using its ports to benefit the city and aims to become a hub for international shipping.

Local officials said they plan to have more economic and cultural exchanges and cooperation with other countries and regions along the Belt and Road, especially Southeast Asia.

zhuanti@chinadaily.com.cn