Guangdong's policy makers and advisors gathered in February to discuss the province's development strategy in 2007. They lowered GDP target to nine percent and planed to cut energy consumption by three percent, brandishing an unshakable determination for an eco-friendly growth mode.

"Quality of life" is the buzz phrase for 2007 as Guangdong focus on keeping commodity price increase under 3 per-cent. Planners are aiming to increase fiscal revenues by 10 percent, keep the unemployment rate under 3.8 percent and stabilize natural population growth. Urban residents' disposable income will increase by 8 percent and rural residents will have a 5.5 percent income increase.

INNOVATION
The government will encourage enterprises to add R&D inputs, support R&D-manufacturing ties and hi-tech projects. It will develop Guangzhou and Shenzhen as innovation centres and support development of digital household electrical appliances, new resources, energy saving and bio-pharmacy products.
Officials will encourage enterprises to support industry standards. Officials will improve the atmosphere for innovation and set up awards for science and technology breakthroughs.

INDUSTRY
Hi-tech, heavy and chemical industries will boom in 2007. Auto part and equipment manufacturing will expand and the coastal petro-chemistry belt will take shape with oil refining, ethylene and downstream projects. Steel, shipbuilding and Chinese traditional medicine industrial clusters' development will be speeded up. Household electrical appliance industry in Pearl River Delta will develop its core competitiveness.
SMEs will be encouraged to join or co-operate with auto, petro-chemical and steel projects and the governments will improve public services for industries and brand promotion. Guangdong's co-operation with Guangxi, Jiangxi, Fujian and other provinces will also continue through 2007. And the government will develop the Pearl River Delta hi-tech industrial zone and industry.

ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT
Governments will adopt an account-ability system for energy efficiency. Departments will hold examinations on energy use of key projects and high-energy-consuming enterprises. 10 energy saving projects are to be launched and energy use quotas for steel, petro-chemical, building material, paper making and other high-energy-consuming industries will be established.
Officials will continue environmental protection and bio-environment improvements. The government's accountability system will be adjusted to include environmental protection by recording main pollutant discharges, potable water resources and environmental condition of key waterways. Governments will monitor urban sewage and waste treatment and continue its effort on desulphurization. Vehicle emissions will also be more strictly monitored and an alarm system for environmental crisis management will be enforced.

FOREIGN TRADE
Provincial officials will support the preparation of the "China Import and Export Commodity Fair" (the former China Export Commodity Fair).
Eastern and western wings of Guangdong and the mountainous region will be encouraged to undertake overseas infrastructure projects and to export technology and large machinery equipment.

KEY PROJECTS
The province will input 115 billion RMB into 159 key projects. It will complete construction of Guangzhou-Shenzhen 4th Railway, Shanwei Power Plant Generator I and II projects and continue works on Sinopec (Guangzhou) ethylene plant expansion and Shaoguan-Jiangxi expressway. Construction will continue on Yangjiang Nuclear Power Station and Huaneng Shantou Haimen Power Plant Phase I's generator I and II. Transport-ation projects include Wuhan-Guang-zhou passenger rail and Guangzhou-Zhuhai light rail. Key waterways in Pearl River Delta will be improved.

BALANCED DEVELOPMENT
Underdeveloped cities will each receive 100 million RMB from the provincial government for infrastructure and pillar industry development.
The province will support special economic zones to seek new development modes and will continue GPRD and PPRD cooperation and promotional work.

MARKET ECONOMY
State-owned enterprise reforms will continue as they will seek strategic partners in order to go listed. Officials will also improve management of government-invested projects and improve administrations of food and commodity price. The market system will be better-ed so as to attract financial institutes to start or expand their business in Guangdong.

Editor: Wing