Port city wants to branch out from pillar industries into steel and specialty paper

Upgrading its manufacturing industry with new plants and technologies, Zhanjiang hopes to tag the "made in Zhanjiang" label on not only seafood and home appliances but also high-end steel plates and specialty paper.

The port city in western Guangdong province is undertaking a three-year action plan that goes into effect this year to upgrade industries.

Zhanjiang has already introduced heavy industries to fill a gap in its industrial structure but hopes to develop new industries.

For example, the Baosteel complex in Zhanjiang, with an investment of about 50 billion yuan ($7.86 billion), will put its No 1 blast furnace into operation on Sept 25. The plant is expected to turn out 8.75 million metric tons of steel products annually after being completed in June next year.

The iron and steel project has caught the world's attention not only with its size but also with its advanced green technologies.

Zhanjiang has made a great leap from ground zero to the top spot in the global steel industry, said Wang Zhongbing, the city's mayor.

The steel produced by the Baosteel facility can be used to make cars and ships, build drilling platforms and will boost the development of shipbuilding, automobile and ocean engineering industries, said Liu Xiaohua, Party chief of Zhanjiang.

The city government is also vigorously working to transform its traditional industries such as sugar refining, home appliances and aquatic products processing.

"We need to upgrade these industries with information technologies and advanced equipment like industrial robots, research and development and improving the quality of products to take a bigger market share and build up our brands," Wang said.

Liu added that Zhanjiang hopes to enhance cooperation with the world's manufacturing powers like the United States to make use of their technologies and branding competitiveness to help take products made in Zhanjiang global.

In Zhanjiang's economy, where officials are emphasizing advanced and intelligent manufacturing, about 21 percent of its medium-sized and large enterprises have carried out so-called technological transformations in the first half of the year through a total investment of nearly 2 billion yuan, which is double the amount from the same period last year, according to the city's bureau of economy and information technology.

The city government encourages manufacturers to utilize industrial robots to automate their factories and will enhance the robotics industry in Zhanjiang, according to the bureau.

Wang said another key to the city's industrial transformation is improving the quality of its labor force.

"Many manufacturers in Zhanjiang are still labor-intensive processors, so we are strengthening the development of the city's vocational schools," he said.

"Having advanced manufacturing bases like the Baosteel project makes it possible for us to combine theories and practice and foster a high-quality labor force."

Zhanjiang, which is better known for its agricultural and aquatic products, is making strides toward becoming an industrial city.

"I can foresee the labels of 'made in Zhanjiang' on steel products and important components of exported vehicles and ships. I hope that Zhanjiang cannot only produce raw materials and components but also has the ability to integrate the materials and components for a complete car, ship, container and industrial robot," he said.

"And I will be proud to see these high-end industrial products tagged 'made in Zhanjiang'."

xujingxi@chinadaily.com.cn