A chiliad ago, she gestated the ancient, simple and soulful Xianshuige (Salty Water Song), through which those unchanged beauty and desolation came down. A centenary ago, she gave birth to Dr. Sun Yat-sen, the pioneer of Chinese Revolution, who led Chinese people to have broken away from that long and gloomy monarch reign. More than a decade ago, it was still a small fishery village in Southern China, but at present it has turned a home of so many talents and brands as well as fortune from worldwide.
        Zhongshan Torch Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone (hereinafter referred to as Zhongshan Torch Zone) is a nation-level new hi-tech industrial development zone, which was jointly established by the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China, the People’s Government of Guangdong Province and Zhongshan Municipal Government in 1990. Zhongshan Torch Zone, lying to the west of the Pearl River Estuary, and Shenzhen and Hong Kong are on the opposite sides of the sea. What run through the city are Beijing-Zhuhai Expressway, Seaside Expressway, Zhongshan-Jiangmen Expressway and the Pearl River Delta light railway that is to be opened. At the same time, it possesses Zhongshan Port that ranks top 10 among the ports nationwide in terms of container-handling capacity. These super conditions of hinge traffic on the west bank of the Pearl River Estuary push Zhongshan Torch Zone to the grand competition stage of economic circle surrounding Lingdingyang Sea.

Office Building of Administrative Committee of Zhongshan Torch Zone

        Over one thousand well-known industrial enterprises that come from more than 20 countries and regions have gathered on this piece of 70-square-kilometer fascinating land with the total population of 200,000. Among these enterprises, more than 500 are above designated scale, and approximately 20 are among World Top 500. Their foreign-exchange-earning capacity ranks top 10 in China. Seven nation-level industrial bases, the number of which is regarded as the greatest among all the new hi-tech zones nationwide, have been set up on this land. Namely National Health Technology Industrial Base, China Packaging and Printing Industrial Base, China Electronics (Zhongshan) Base, National Hi-tech Products Exporting Base, China Technological Model Base (Zhongshan) of Industry, Zhongshan (Linhai) Equipment Manufacturing Base under National Torch Plan, and China Green Healthy Foodstuff Industrial Base. Under the spotlight in the Pearl River Estuary Economic Circle are such five backbone industries as electronic information technology, biotechnology and pharmacy, packaging and printing, chemical industry and auto parts, and  such four rising advantageous industries as equipment manufacturing, energy saving and new energy, micro-electronics and communication, and bio-technology. In recent years, the economic development of Zhongshan Torch Zone has presented a strong leaping forward momentum. In 2007, the GDP of Torch Zone totaled 18.75 billion yuan, gross industrial output value 71.52 billion yuan, and the fiscal revenue 2.55 billion yuan. Meanwhile, the earned foreign exchange was 3.84 billion USD and actually utilized foreign capital arrived to 255 million USD.  All these economic indexes accounted for from 1/7 to 1/3 of that of Zhongshan City’s.

        Zhongshan’s “torch speed” has been extolled all the while in Guangdong Province. In terms of industrial park management, Zhongshan’s “torch model” and “torch phenomenon” have been widely circulated among the hi-tech industrial development zones in China. Brave and open-minded Zhongshan Torchers have been writing a modern industry legend of torch with their practice.

Town of Technology

        It is this enthusiastic land that engraves into the memory millions of passions that come from far distance.
        It is a technological talent base of Guangdong Province where thousands of top talents from worldwide have gathered, and over 60 city-level scientific research institutions and R&D centers of research on new energy-storable materials, IT, communication, biology, chemical, packing and printing have settled down. These research institutions and R&D centers have been carrying on 12 projects under the National Hi-Tech Research and Development Program("863"Program) of China, 56 projects under the State Torch Plan and 15 kinds of the state new key products, and have attained more than 200 achievements in scientific research, half of which have been awarded prizes. Half a billion yuan has been invested in building Torch High-tech Business Incubator, which has turned the incubation base for medium- and small-sized enterprises, the post doctorial working station, the pioneering base for the returned students, and has turned into a college technology park step by step. For instance, the following colleges and schools have been successively set up here: Zhongshan Packaging and Printing School of Zhuzhou Technology College, Zhongshan Foreign School attached to Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, and Zhongshan Torch Vocational College. Huge technology innovation systems and their platforms have given firm wings to the technology of Zhongshan Torch Zone to soar.
        Altogether 63 new hi-tech enterprises, accounting for about 40% of that of Zhongshan City, are located in Zhongshan Torch Zone, while the total production value of hi-tech products in the Zone in 2007 reached 58 billion yuan, which covered over 81% of the gross industrial output value of the Zone and approximately 55% of the total production value of hi-tech products of Zhongshan City.
        In order to support the development of large industry, more than 1 billion yuan has been invested annually in recent years in the construction of infrastructure and their auxiliary facilities, for which an integrative collocation is arranged in accordance with industrial manufacturing area, logistics area, residential area and entertainment area. Moreover, a modern new technology town has been constructed elaborately with brand-new concept, grand verve and tech-style. The new technology town has integrated eight functional areas and six technology centers, the former of which cover administration, research, education, living and entertainment, trade, senior residence, warehouse and logistics, and the latter of which contain technology service, technology exhibition, technology trade, technology finance and technology residence for scientists and technicians. Thus it highlights a kind of majestic tolerance and an international thought communicating with the world. Having been receiving numerous merchants from all over the world, Zhongshan Torch International Exhibition Centre has held over 50 national and international industrial exhibitions, which have been gathering top merchants and politicians throughout the world who communicate the current world affairs and activate international information grandly. It is no longer a catchword that “we shake hands with the world”.

 Grand Occasion of Exhibition of New Technology Town

        To promote the competitive capacity of industries, Zhongshan Torch Zone has developed Linhai Industrial Park in a 40-square-kilometer island, a “heavyweight” park at the Pearl River Estuary in the past years. Based on large industry, large port, large logistics, large scale and great development, this industrial park is aimed at upriver industries and will highlight the development of such industries as equipment manufacturing, new energy, new materials and modern logistics. It is sure to be a milestone in Zhongshan’s large industry structure since 3.8 billion yuan has been invested in the construction, 10,000-tonnage quays are being built and 2000-hectare land has been planned.
        At present, Zhongshan Torch Zone is developing and constructing such new industrial parks as Technology Industrial Strip, Liyu Industrial Park, South China City of Modern Traditional Chinese Medicine and Pharmaceuticals and Yat-sen Micro-electronic Industrial Park to vigorously develop equipment manufacturing, micro-electronic industry, communication equipment and healthy medicine so as to stockpile strength for the great new-round development.
        As the comprehensive competitive capacity of Zhongshan Torch Zone has been enhanced by extraordinary planning and management of city and industrial parks, more and more international brand capitals are pouring in. From a traditional industry zone to a modern new coastal town with fairly large economic scale, Zhongshan Torch Zone is now experiencing a momentous span from “torch speed” to “torch benefit”.
        Facing the new-round integration of cities in the Pearl River Delta and the new situation of fierce competition among them, Zhongshan Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China and Zhongshan Municipal Government started up firmly the Eastern Zhongshan Coastal Development in 2005, which is a strategic choice. Playing a leading role in Eastern Zhongshan Coastal Development, Zhongshan Torch Zone has once again obtained a better development opportunity. Along with the energetic consolidation of the sources of eastern Zhongshan, Zhongshan Torch Zone will become the sub-downtown of future Zhongshan City as well as the highland of round-port industry and hi-tech industry, playing a very important role in the competition in “Economic Circle Round Lingdingyang Sea”.
        During the 11th Five-Year Plan, Zhongshan Torch Zone will fully implement the scientific concept of development, quicken the adjustment of industrial structure, accelerate industrial promotion, and enhance the capacity of self-innovation, making economy advance safely and fast. Besides, the Zone will intensify social construction, co-ordinate the harmonious advancement for both rural and urban areas so as to construct harmonious industrial parks. It is estimated that by the year of 2011 the gross industrial output value will have reached 130 billion yuan, the tax revenue 4.5 billion yuan and the foreign exchange to be earned 8 billion USD. Hopefully it will then rank top among all the hi-tech zones all over the country, and become a bright pearl with developed economy, advanced technology, flourishing culture, harmonious society, and rich and healthy people in the Pearl River Delta.

 Nocturne of Exhibition Plaza