CRI听力：Xi'an Uses Foreign Investment for Sustainable Development

Xi'an, capital of China's north-western Shaanxi Province, is one of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China, it has been the capital of 13 dynasties throughout China's history.

As a regional hub of economics, trade and transportation, this ancient city has been putting on the ritz recently, attracting global investment, particularly in the high-tech industry, greatly boosting the local economy.

CRI reporter Chen Xi has the details.

Reporter: According to the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), Xi'an City and its National Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone have been titled as one of the nation's six most energetic cities and regions.

Amongst all other factors, Xi'an's dramatic development has been attributed to its National Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone, one of the first of its kind approved by the Chinese government back in 1991.

Enterprises in the high-tech industry from nearly 30 countries and regions, including the United States, Japan, Germany and Singapore, have set up their factories and offices in the zone.

Kazuo Imamura, president of Japan's Furukawa Electric, the second largest optical fiber producer globally, says it has set up two companies in the hi-tech development zone in Xi'an, one of which is Shianfu Optical Fiber and Cables Company.

"The Shianfu Optical Fiber and Cables Company that we established in 1986 was the first optical fiber production company in China. Thanks to the economic development in the country, we have set up another one in the high-tech industrial development zone of Xi'an."

Kazuo also says its products have been widely used nationwide in China, such as at the 11th Asian Games in Beijing, and on railway lines from Beijing to Kowloon in Hong Kong and the Qinghai-Tibet railway project.

At present, the annual output of optical fibers from the two companies is as long as 300 kilometres.

The issue of environmental protection is also on the agenda of the management committee in charge of the Xi'an National Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone.

A senior official with the committee, Zhao Ji reveals that, under the guidelines, much effort has been paid to creating a favourable environment in the high-tech development zone.

"In recent years, a series of projects dedicated to a better environment and cleaner air, such as the Blue Sky Project, have not only completely fulfilled our target of energy-saving and emission reductions in the development zone, but also increased the overall utilisation level of industrial rubbish. The green coverage ratio has reached over 40 percent."

The official also says infrastructure construction, including transportation, communication, hospitals and school, has greatly promoted the general quality of the high-tech industrial development zone in Xi'an.

Chen Xi, CRI News