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In 1998, Zhejiang continued to improve is infrastructure, and a favorable
turn was manifest in this aspect of the investment environment, as 24billion
yuan was invested in 70key construction projects. Meamwhile, Zhejiang attached
great importance to foreign-related economic management and services, and
constantly strove to improve its investmetn environment. At present, a system of
foreign-related management and services, which meet international economic
standards, is taking shape.
Better Use Made of Harbor Resource Advantages 240km of the coastline of
Zhejiang is suitable for the construction of harbors. 58 harbors, the major ones
being those of Ninbo, Zhoushan, Zhapu, Haimen and Wenzhou, have been
constructed, with 41 berths of 10,000 dwt capacity or above. Shipping lanes
stretch from these harbors to more than 400 ports in over 70 countries and
regions worldwide, with regular passenger or cargo ship lines to the United
States, Japan and Hong Kong. Being Port in Ninbo, one of China's four top
transrer harbors, can handle freighters up to 300,000 dwt in size and is China's
largest and bset-equipped one of iron ore transshipment base. In 1998, the
volume of freight handled by Ninbo Harbor reached 87.09 million tons, ranking
second in China. Zhoushan Harbor has become the biggest of its kind in China.
Aoshan Harbor in Zhoushan, with 250,000 dwt oil transfer berths, made Zhejiang
the first province in China with the ability to accommodate oil transshipment
from supertankers.
New Achievement in Posts and Telecommunications Zhejiang has basically
built up a province-wide network of speed mail transportation by a variety of
means, including by air, railroad an highway services. Express mail service is
available in the major cities. Post office at the county level and above use
electronic equipment at their service counters. Zhejiang is one of the leading
provinces in China in the number of postal air routes, with 71operating out of
bases in Hangzhou, Ninbo, Wenzhou and Jinhua and Connecting to every major city
in the country. In the field of telecommunications, in 1998, there were 12.33
million users of telephones, and 3.7million users of mobile phones, ranking
fourth and third respectively among all the provinces in China. Automatic long -
distance dialing exchanges have been installed in every municipality and
prefecture. International and domestic automatic long-distance
program-controlled exchanges link the province with over 1,900 cities in China
and 214countries and regions abroad. Paging and mobile phone services are
available in all cities and counties, which enables automatic roaming
communication with over 20 countries an regions. Long-distance trunk lines
within the province have been converted from electric cable to optical fiber,
reaching every township of the province. With over 55,800 users of Internet and
data communications, a modern communications network by a variety of means has
been formed. In 1998, 995,000households had telephones newly installed. At the
moment, 20.5 percent of the province's residents own a telephone.
Flourishing Road, Rail and Air Networks Zhejiang has 6national highways
and 66 provincial arterial highways, with a total length of 38,900 km, of which
343km are expressways. Following the completion of the Shanghai-Hangzhou-Ninbo
expressway, the province is pushing ahead with the construction of the
Ninbo-Taizhou-Wenzhou, Hangzhou-Jinhua-Quzhou, Hangxhou-wenzhou expressways.
Some parts of the expressways have been opened to traffic. With the
provincial capital of Hangxhou as the hub, Zhejiang's main railway lines are the
Hangzhou-Shanghai, Hangzhou-Jiangxi and Hangzhou-Ninbo multi-track tailroads and
the Hangzhou-Xuanxheng and Jinhua-Wenzhou railroads. Zhejiang has seven airports
at Hangzhou, Ninbo, Wenzhou, Huangyan, Yiwu, Quzhou and
Zhoushan(Zhujiajian)respectively and operate over 160domestic and international
air routes. Construction of the Xiaoshan International Airport in Hangzhou has
already started. Traffic in the province has become covenient.
Power Production Steadily Reinforced Zhejiang is one of China's most
advanced provinces in the utilization of water, thermal, wind ,tidal and nuclear
power resources. Besides the large-scale electric power plants at Beilum,
Zhenhai, Taizhou, Changxing, Wenzhou and Jiaxing, there are largescale
hydro-electrical power plants on the Xin'an, Fuchun and Wuxi rivers and at
Jinshuitan. The first stage construction of the Qinshan Nnuclear Power Station
in Haiyan Country has been finished and put into operation. and the second and
third stages will be completed soon. The total installed electricity capacity of
the province is 14.33 million kw. Total electric power generated in 1998 was
53.6billion kwh. At the moment, preparations are nuder way for the construction
of the Sanmen Nuclear Power Station and Tankeng Hydro-electrical Power Station.
In addition, in the coming decade, a number of large thermal power stations are
expected to come on stream. There is now a sufficient supply of electric power
in the province.
Sturdy Foreign Economic Management Organizations In order to solidify
unified leadership of its foreign-related economy and its work of opening up to
the outside world, the provincial government has set up a committee with the
authority to make decisions in these spheres. In 1998, it established the
Foreign Investment Administration of Zhejiang Province to take charge of
foreign-related cooperation and investment. Every administration at the county
level and above has an organization in charge of foreign trade and investment,
which are linked in a network.
Gradual Coordination Between Laws and Policies In the course of
implementing the relevant state laws and policies, the Standing Committee of
Zhejiang Provincial People's Congress and the provincial government have enacted
more than 20 laws, regulations, administrative rules and policy documents, which
concern the development of foreign trade, the establishment and management of
economic development zones, favorable tax policies, loans, the right of use and
transfer of state-owned land, real estate development, management of foreign
exchange, guarantees for the autonomy of foreign-invested enterprises and
simplification of entry and exit procedures. Laws and policies guaranteeing the
autonomy of foreign investment have been established.
Continued Improvement of Investment Service System A province-level
foreign investment service center has been set up , and every city and
prefecture in zhejiang has a foreign-related economy advisory body. The
provincial, municipality and prefecture authorities have delegated
foreign-related examination and approval functions to lower levels, and
simplified the relevant proceedings. The departments at every level of the
customs, commodity inspection, finance, banking, goods and materials, posts and
telecommunications, construction, personnel, labor and other public undertakings
provide convenience and services for investors in accordance with the laws and
regulations.
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