Top programmes listed - The city government has issued 2010-11 Top Ten Key Programmes encompassing 93 major projects with total investment of 335.9 billion yuan ($49.2 billion), of which 24.25 billion yuan ($3.55 billion) will be spent this year, more than twice the expenditure of last year.
Of the projects, 30 are provincial-level, 10 more than last year. Most of the major projects involve port, airport and cross-border checkpoint hubs, petrochemical, shipbuilding and marine equipment manufacturing, aviation, hi-tech, business and leisure tourism, environmental protection, municipal infrastructure, public service and energy security with investment in the first three aspects hitting 31.59 billion yuan ($4.63 billion), 3.96 billion yuan ($580 million) and 86.33 billion yuan ($12.64 billion) respectively, accounting for 36.3 per cent of the total.
Five of the 93 projects were completed last year; 39 are under construction; 26 will undergo construction this year and the rest will be initiated next year.
Holiday tourism hot
SOME 820,800 visitors spent 430 million yuan ($62.96 million) in the seven-day Chinese New Year holiday, year-on-year increases of 2.66 and 3.12 per cent respectively.
Local travel services received 152,600 tourists and slated 61,800 residents to travel, up 1.06 and 3.22 per cent. The number of residents traveling overseas rose by 10.32 per cent to 29,300. Travel services yielded sales revenue of 50.51 million yuan ($7.4 million), up 10.77 per cent from last year. Around 216,200 overnight visitors were registered with growth of 3.15 per cent and average room occupancy rate of 80.53 per cent.
Local tourist attractions saw 1.04 million visitors with sales revenue topping 21.37 million yuan ($3.13 million), up 0.83 and 1.03 per cent.
Imperial Hot Springs Resort in Doumen District and Ocean Spring Resort in Jinwan District saw 170,000 visitors spend 22 million yuan ($3.22 million), increases of 3.4 and 3.8 per cent respectively.
Approximately 1.7 million border crossings were recorded at various checkpoints during the golden-week holiday. The number from the mainland to Hong Kong and Macao via Gongbei and Jiuzhou checkpoints grew by 30 per cent from the same period last year.
Xiangzhou to boom
THE Xiangzhou District will see 1.32 billion yuan ($193 million) invested in 82 projects including the Sports Centre and Culture Centre and foster 20 modern service projects, 10 headquarters economy projects and 20 privileged traditional projects this year. This will fulfill transformation from a production-based to a service economy and from main urban area to core urban areas, according to You Zhencheng, secretary of the CPC Xiangzhou District Committee.
Priority will be given to building the Gongbei-Qianshan-Jida Business Subzone. New-type businesses and trade and high-end hotel industries will be highlighted and business facilities on South Yingbin and Yuehai roads will be enhanced in Gongbei.
Meanwhile, new shopping centres will be built around the stations of the Guangzhou-Zhuhai Intercity MRT and construction of Cibo Business & Trade Logistics Centre will be accelerated to form a regional furnishings trade centre facing Zhuhai, Zhongshan, Jiangmen and Macao from Qianshan.
Moreover, taking advantage of construction of the Zhuhua Business Square and renovation of Zhuhai Hotel, Jida will greatly develop finance and securities, intermediate service, and cultural and creative industries and introduce a group of banks and insurance, funding, filming, industrial design and IT service companies to create a high-grade business centre.
Checkpoint expanding
THE Gongbei Checkpoint expansion project, with total investment of 500 million yuan ($73.2 million) and increased area of 43,000sqm, will come under construction this year.
A new border-entry inspection building with floor space of 21,651sqm and a border-exit inspection building with floor space of 21,583sqm will be built on each side of the existing inspection hall, forming a 313m threefold joint building.
Capability of the checkpoint will increase from 140,000 to 350,000 border crossers upon completion.
The expansion incorporates access to the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, Guangzhou-Zhuhai Intercity MRT, Gongbei Port Underground Square Commute Centre and Lovers Avenue. It will also include space for a 12,800sqm underground parking lot for the MRT Zhuhai Station.
Seagull debut set
THE Seagull 300 amphibious aircraft will debut at the AVIC General Aircraft Industrial Base on August 30, it was announced at a forum concerning aviation development and low-altitude airspace control at Ocean Spring Resort on Thursday.
A marketing centre will be established this year and come into operation in 2011. It is estimated that 244 utility aircraft covering Seagull 300, Dragon 600 and light business jets will be delivered by 2015.
The AVIC General Aircraft assembly facility underwent construction as of July 2 last year and will come into operation along with a comprehensive office building and power centre in September 2012. The Dragon 600 amphibious aircraft will make its maiden flight in 2014.
