The Ministry of Commerce has vowed to further optimize supportive policies for foreign investment in 2026, pledging efforts to provide equal treatment to foreign-invested enterprises in domestic consumption promotion initiatives, government procurement, and public bidding processes so as to promote foreign firms' long-term development in the country.

   Wang Ya, an official heading the foreign investment management department under the commerce ministry, said at a press conference on Monday that China will remain unwavering in expanding high-standard opening up as it seeks to foster new strengths in attracting foreign investment and enhance the "Invest in China" brand.

   Wang said the ministry will expand market access and the opening-up of the services sector, including telecommunications, healthcare and education. It will also support foreign-funded enterprises in the services sector in expanding their value chains.

   Efforts will also be made to strengthen services for foreign investors by fully implementing the national treatment for foreign-funded enterprises, focusing on their concerns, continuously optimizing services, and holding roundtable meetings for foreign-funded enterprises, Wang said.

    China will closely align with international high-standard economic and trade rules, carry out more extensive institutional opening-up trials, and accelerate the implementation of pilot projects for expanding the opening up of the services sector, Wang said.

   Chinese Premier Li Qiang has signed a State Council decree issuing a regulation on the implementation of the country's value-added tax (VAT) law, which will take effect on Jan. 1, 2026.

   The regulation is designed to facilitate the effective enforcement of the law by providing detailed rules on its application.

  The regulation specifies the scope of taxable goods, services, intangible assets and immovable property, and further defines taxpayer categories.

    It also clarifies the application of VAT rates, including zero-rating for certain exports and cross-border sales of services and intangible assets.

    In addition, the rules refine methods for calculating VAT payable, clarify standards for tax incentives, and strengthen VAT administration measures.

   The VAT law was adopted at a session of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the national legislature, in December last year.

   China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and the Ministry of Commerce have unveiled the 2025 version of the Catalogue of Encouraged Industries for Foreign Investment, outlining key measures to attract and use foreign capital with greater efforts, the commission said on Wednesday.

    The catalogue, which will be effective from February 1, 2026, represents an important policy for promoting foreign investment in China. Additionally, it is also a key policy document for guiding foreign investment in specific industries and regions, the NDRC noted.

   The introduction of the new catalogue aims to implement the Chinese government's decisions and plans on stabilizing foreign investment, and guide more foreign investment toward advanced manufacturing, modern services, high-tech, energy conservation and environmental protection, as well as the central and western regions and the northeastern region, it said.

     Compared to the 2022 version, the new document features a net increase of 205 items and includes 303 modifications. In the advanced manufacturing sector, for instance, the new catalogue adds and expands relevant items such as terminal products, components, and raw materials to enhance the development level of the sector's industrial chain and supply chain.

   In the next step, the NDRC and the Ministry of Commerce will work with relevant departments to enhance guidance and coordination to ensure the effective implementation of relevant measures in the catalogue.

  The annual Central Economic Work Conference was held in Beijing from Wednesday to Thursday as Chinese leaders decided priorities for the economic work in 2026.

  Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivered an important speech at the conference.

  In his speech, Xi reviewed the country's economic work in 2025, analyzed the current economic situation and arranged next year's economic work.

   It was noted at the meeting that 2025 is a truly extraordinary year, and the main targets for economic and social development will be successfully achieved.

  As the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) is set to approach a successful conclusion, the meeting noted that over the past five years, China has effectively navigated various shocks and challenges, and achieved new major accomplishments in the cause of the Party and the country.

   It is necessary to fully tap the economic potential, continue to pursue both policy support and reform and innovation, ensure both market vitality and effective regulation, combine investment in physical assets with investment in human capital, and respond to external challenges by strengthening internal capabilities, the meeting said.

  Noting that there are still long-standing and new challenges in China's economic development, and the impact of changes in the external environment has deepened while risks and hidden dangers persist in some key areas, the meeting said that these issues can be resolved through efforts, and the underlying conditions and fundamental trends sustaining China's long-term economic growth remain unchanged.

  The conference stressed the need to fully and faithfully apply the new development philosophy, move faster to forge a new development paradigm and focus on promoting high-quality development.

   China will adhere to the general principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability, better coordinate domestic economic work with struggles in the international economic and trade arena, and ensure both development and security.

  The country will implement more proactive and impactful macroeconomic policies, formulate more far-sighted, more targeted and better-coordinated policies, continuously expand domestic demand and optimize supply, and develop new quality productive forces according to local conditions.

   Efforts will be made to develop a unified national market and continuously prevent and defuse risks in key areas. It is imperative to secure the steady development of employment, businesses, markets and expectations, getting the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) off to a good start.

   China will continue to implement a more proactive fiscal policy and maintain necessary fiscal deficits, overall debt levels and expenditure scale, while standardizing tax incentives and fiscal subsidy policies.

  Greater attention should be given to addressing local fiscal difficulties, and Party and government bodies will continue to keep their belts tightened.

  China will continue implementing a moderately loose monetary policy, employ various monetary policy tools such as reserve requirement ratios and interest rates in a flexible and efficient manner to maintain ample liquidity.

   China will guide financial institutions to scale up support for domestic demand expansion, sci-tech innovation, micro, small and medium enterprises, and other key areas.

   The RMB exchange rate will be kept generally stable at an adaptive, balanced level, the meeting said, adding that China will make macro policy orientations more consistent and effective, and refine expectations management mechanisms to bolster social confidence.

   In terms of tasks of next year's economic work, the meeting said domestic demand will remain as a focus in building a robust domestic market.

   Special initiatives should be advanced to boost consumption, and the supply of high-quality consumer goods and services should be expanded. Unreasonable restrictions in the consumption sector should be removed, and the potential of service consumption should be unlocked.

   China will work to stabilize and revive investment, appropriately increase the scale of investment within the central government budget, and continue to leverage the role of new policy-based financial instruments. China will also advance urban renewal in a high-quality manner.

   It will be essential to enhance innovation-driven development to accelerate the cultivation of new growth drivers. China will develop international technological innovation centers in Beijing (Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region), Shanghai (Yangtze River Delta), and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

   Efforts will be made to advance the AI Plus Initiative, improve AI governance and foster innovation in science and technology finance.

   During the meeting, it was emphasized that deepening reform is essential to enhance the momentum and vitality of high-quality development.

   China will intensify efforts to address involution, formulate and implement a reform plan involving state-owned assets and state-owned enterprises, and improve supporting regulations and policies for the law on promoting the private sector. The country will also continue to deepen comprehensive reforms in capital market investment and financing.

   The meeting underscored the need to steadily advance institutional opening up, expand self-initiated opening up in the service sector in an orderly manner, and make solid progress in developing the Hainan Free Trade Port.

    Efforts should be made to support service export, actively develop digital and green trade, reform and improve the systems for promoting foreign investment, and improve overseas integrated service systems, according to the meeting.

   The meeting also highlighted the need to promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, as well as negotiate and sign more regional and bilateral trade and investment agreements.

  Coordination in development should be promoted to facilitate integrated urban-rural development and regional synergy, it said, noting that coordinated steps should be taken to advance urbanization with a focus on counties and all-around rural revitalization, promoting high-quality development of county economies.

   China will ensure that the total area of farmland remains above the specified red line and keep the prices of grain and other major agricultural products at a reasonable level. It will continue to consolidate the achievements of poverty alleviation and ensure that no large-scale relapse into poverty occurs, as well as promote high-quality development of the marine economy, according to the meeting.

   With carbon emissions peaking and carbon neutrality as the goals, efforts should be made to promote a comprehensive green transformation.

  It is necessary to further advance energy conservation and carbon reduction in key industries, formulate an outline for building China into an energy powerhouse, expand the application of green electricity and strengthen the development of national carbon emissions trading market, said the meeting.

   It also stressed the need to implement a comprehensive waste management initiative, solidly advance the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program and enhance the country's capacity to respond to extreme weather events.

   Prioritizing people's livelihoods, practical measures will be taken to get things done for the people, the meeting said.

   Efforts will be made to stabilize employment for key groups such as college graduates and migrant workers, adjust the distribution of educational resources, deepen the reform of medical insurance payment methods, and strengthen care and assistance for people in difficulty, the meeting said.

   It is imperative to help maintain the birth rate at a stable level, the meeting said, adding that solid work should be done in workplace safety, disaster prevention, mitigation, and relief, and food and drug safety.

   The meeting also stressed defusing risks in key areas actively and prudently, with a focus on stabilizing the real estate market. Efforts should be made to steadily advance the construction of "quality homes" and defuse local government debt risks in an orderly manner.

   The country must tap new space for demand growth to strengthen the domestic circulation, promote the deep integration of scientific and technological innovation with industrial innovation to develop new quality productive forces, and unswervingly deepen reform and expand opening-up so as to unleash the momentum and vitality for high-quality development.

   More efforts should be made to better safeguard and improve people's livelihoods and actively and prudently defuse risks in key areas, the meeting noted.

   The need was stressed at the meeting to uphold the centralized and unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee. The meeting also called for doing a good job in economic work according to local conditions, and for a correct understanding of what it means to perform well. It also urged efforts to well formulate the 15th Five-Year plans at national and local levels and relevant special plans, and pursue high-quality and sustainable development.

    A good job must be done to ensure adequate supply of major goods related to people's basic needs at the turn of the year, take care of the work and lives of people in need, and forestall and defuse risks of major and serious accidents, said the meeting.

   The meeting also emphasized the need to more closely unite around the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, strive to achieve the goals and tasks for economic and social development next year and get the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030) off to a good start.

   The meeting was attended by Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang and Li Xi, who are all members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.

  Li Qiang made a concluding speech, putting forward requirements for implementing the guiding principles of Xi's important speech and doing a good job in the economic work next year.

Recently, the "New Chili Pepper Varieties Comparative Trial Station" and the "New Chili Pepper Varieties Demonstration and Promotion Station," jointly established by Hunan Agricultural University and the Vegetable Research Institute of the Hunan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, were officially inaugurated in Hengyang. These stations will operate under the "Hengyang Vegetable Technology Innovation Expert Workstation" and the "Hengyang Defengyuan Seed Industry Co., Ltd." The unveiling ceremony was attended by Zou Xuexiao, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and president of Hunan Agricultural University, and Li Xuefeng, director of the Vegetable Research Institute of the Hunan Academy of Agricultural Sciences.

▲Chili pepper cultivation demonstration base.

In recent years, the Hengyang Vegetable Technology Innovation Expert Station and the Hengyang Defengyuan Seed Industry Co., Ltd. Expert Station have achieved fruitful results. Multiple newly introduced and carefully cultivated chili pepper varieties not only exhibit strong disease resistance and high yields but also boast unique flavors. These high-quality varieties have been widely promoted across major production areas in Hunan, Guizhou, Jiangxi, Sichuan, Chongqing, and Yunnan, with acumulative cultivation area exceeding 3 million mu (about 200,000 hectares), helping farmers increase their income by over 15%. Take the "Xingshuzhoula No.2, 3, and 4" promoted in Hunan as an example. The yield per mu has increased by 25%, and the average annual income per household has increased by more than 8,000 yuan.

While promoting new varieties, the chili pepper trial and promotion stations have prioritized green agricultural development. By advancing eco-friendly pest control technologies, they have reduced pesticide use by 30% while ensuring healthy crop growth. Additionally, through innovative "field classroom" training programs, more than 3,000 agricultural technicians have been trained, providing talent support for the sustainable development of the chili pepper industry.

The establishment of the two stations in Hengyang marks a new phase of deep integration of industry, academia, and research in the city's chili pepper sector. Moving forward, "two stations" will focus on: advancing deep processing technologies to develop high-value-added products and extend the industrial chain; forming a "Chili Pepper Industry Innovation Alliance" with domestic universities to tackle core technological bottlenecks in seed sources; promoting "Smart Chili Pepper" models by leveraging IoT and big data for precision farming; building a regional public brand to enhance the international competitiveness of "Xiang Chili" (Hunan Chili) and accelerate the transition of new varieties from laboratories to fields.

Project acceleration drives urban transformation. Situated just south of Mount Heng, Hengyang is setting sail with projects as its oars, navigating the tide of high-quality development.

At the city-wide 2025 Q1 Economic Operation Analysis and Major Project Site Observation Conference held from April 27–28, vibrant data and lively scenes harmonized: mechanical arms moving in sync, tower cranes filling the skyline, and production lines operating efficiently in high-tech workshops— these scenes marked both a review of first-quarter achievements and a rallying call for accelerating projects.

To “compete” is to take proactive and practical action—it’s the most grounded path toward progress. In Q1, Hengyang leveraged its strength in manufacturing, broke through development barriers, and achieved a “strong start.” These hard-earned accomplishments reflect the success of the “projects-first” development philosophy and highlight the city’s growing capacity and competitiveness.

Past glories are both medals and provisions for tomorrow’s journey. Yesterday’s glory is both a badge of honor and a source of strength. As we march forward, Hengyang must compare horizontally to find gaps, analyze vertically to address weaknesses, and devote full efforts to boost the economy and shoulder greater responsibilities. With a mindset of excellence and a drive to surpass others, we must push hard in Q2 to meet key milestones and build a solid foundation for the year's goals—fulfilling our role as a key economic powerhouse.

We observe macro trends, strategize holistically, and apply dialectical thinking to seize developmental momentum, sounding a clarion call for progress. Guided by the strategy of “Building a Manufacturing Powerhouse, Promoting Culture and Tourism,” we must sharpen our insight and act decisively. By facing challenges head-on and seizing opportunities amid complexity, we can maintain stability, reinforce confidence, and build on our upward momentum. This means understanding the broader economic landscape, focusing on our strengths, and turning strategic opportunities into tangible results.

We focus on key priorities, seek breakthroughs, and strengthen the engine of development through targeted strategies, rallying collective momentum for progress. Q2 marks a critical period for production expansion and consumer growth. We must seize this critical opportunity to prioritize consumption revitalization, fully implement consumption policies, and capitalize on policy-driven opportunities through proactive planning, coordination, and execution, thereby unleashing the full potential of consumer activity. Concurrently, we will diversify consumption scenarios, striving to create social media hotspots and vibrant consumer hubs, while designing high-impact promotional campaigns to popularize the lifestyle slogan: "If you are not busy at weekends, why not take a trip to Hengyang!". By leveraging opportunities under the implementation of major national strategies and enhancement of security capacity in key areas and the large-scale equipment renewals and consumer goods trade-ins, we will advance a systematic process of identification, screening, reservation, and construction for a portfolio of pioneering, catalytic, and landmark projects, thereby solidifying investment as a cornerstone of economic development. Furthermore, investment attraction efforts must be intensified. By fostering a business-friendly environment, demonstrating genuine commitment, and offering preferential policies, we aim to attract corporate investments and advance initiatives such as the "Hunan Entrepreneurs Homecoming Initiative", "Hengyang Business Returnees Program", and "Alumni Back to Hengyang Campaign", thereby positioning investment attraction as a new powerhouse for economic growth.

We strengthen accountability and intensify execution, driving tangible development outcomes through an uncompromising work ethic to forge new glories. Economic analysis tests real capabilities, and project observation demands real action. Departments at all levels must align with objectives, enhance monitoring, anticipate changes, and respond quickly to early signs of risk. We must act with urgency and ownership, breaking down tasks into daily milestones, defining task-specific targets, and assigning clear individual responsibilities. With unrelenting focus and courage to lead by example, we will address challenges head-on through frontline decision-making and strategic resource allocation, ensuring every initiative yields measurable progress and visible outcomes. Simultaneously, we will champion integrity-driven governance, merging accountability with transparency and diligence with ethical rigor. By maintaining principled vigilance and rejecting counterproductive shortcuts, we commit to achieving goals without compromise while upholding the highest standards of conduct.

"Beneath the infinite sky, my spirit soars untamed; Unbound by time’s relentless tides, I ride—undaunted, unclaimed." With dedication as ink and responsibility as the brush, we will write a new chapter of high-quality development. Through hard work and steadfast commitment, we shall transform the vitality of spring into a flourishing city of prosperity.

According to the Hengyang Investment Promotion Center, the “Hengyang 2025 Major Investment Project Catalog” (hereinafter referred to as the “Catalog”) has been officially released, featuring 22 major investment projects with a total planned investment of 93.15 billion yuan.

Projects are the primary drivers of economic growth, and investment attraction serves as a crucial pillar for high-quality development. In recent years, Hengyang has vigorously implemented the development strategy of “Building a Manufacturing Powerhouse, Promoting Culture and Tourism,” making steady progress in developing a modern industrial system. The successful hosting of the 3rd Hunan Tourism Development Conference highlighted Hengyang’s effective implementation of Dual Integration Initiatives. Hengyang’s invitation to discover its cultural charm and seize its economic momentum has struck a chord with travelers and entrepreneurs alike. As Hengyang advances its transformation into a regional hub, it welcomes the arrival of quality projects and actively seeks capital to unlock the potential of its industries.

To support investment efforts in 2025, Hengyang has aligned its project planning with its goal of becoming a national regional hub and a sub-provincial center in Hunan. Guided by the plan to “consolidate five dominant industries, venture into three emerging industries, and position two future industries,” the city has meticulously curated 22 major projects across 15 industrial chains and ten pillar industries. These include the New Energy Vehicle Industrial Park, the Hengyang Smart Weighing Equipment Industrial Park (Phase I), the “Aerospace Intelligence Valley” Integrated Low-Altitude Economy Industrial Park, and the “Seeing Nanshan” Cultural Tourism Complex in Nanyue District. These high-quality projects span sectors such as advanced equipment manufacturing, intelligent manufacturing, new materials, new energy, low-altitude economy, information technology, cultural tourism, modern services, and specialty industries. Together, they will offer new opportunities and inject fresh momentum into Hengyang’s diversified economic development.

The “Project Catalog” presents detailed information with illustrations and descriptions of Hengyang’s overall profile, resource endowments, industrial strengths, investment environment, and key economic data. It introduces the 22 major projects by analyzing their backgrounds, foundational infrastructure, investment factors, development content, and expected economic and social benefits, providing comprehensive insights for potential investors. The catalog will also serve as a strong reference for Hengyang’s participation in major economic events such as the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo, Hunan-Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Economic and Trade Cooperation Exchange Conference, the Europe-China Business and Technology Cooperation Fair, Hunan Business Conference, Hunan Chamber of Commerce and Hengyang Chamber of Commerce.

On November 25, Hengnan county held a meeting to advance the work on fixed asset investment. Li Shibing, deputy secretary of the county Party committee and county magistrate, attended the meeting and emphasized that all relevant departments at all levels must act with a sense of urgency and responsibility, anchor their work goals, and strive to overcome difficulties to inject strong momentum into the high-quality economic and social development of Hengnan county.

After listening to reports on related work progress, Li Shibing demanded that ideological attention must be further heightened. It is necessary to deepen understanding, conscientiously summarize successful experiences, thoroughly identify shortcomings and weaknesses, and effectively intensify research and deployment efforts for fixed asset investment inventory work to ensure the vigorous and effective advancement of fixed asset investment. Actions must be further implemented. All relevant units should align with their respective tasks, adhere to the working mindset of "walking one step while looking at two and thinking about three", effectively decompose responsibilities, and get work done proactively, ensuring a continuous pipeline of projects being reported, reserved, and identified, striving to achieve monthly project progress and ensuring the complete fulfillment of all target tasks. Coordination must be further strengthened. The County Development and Reform Bureau should play a leading role in grasping the overall situation, promptly grasp relevant information, and carefully analyze indicator trends to provide advisory support for the county Party committee and government in formulating and adjusting policies. The County Statistics Bureau must strictly ensure quality control, enhance professional skills, strengthen business guidance and provide hands-on, point-to-point guidance to responsible units to improve statistical capabilities, strengthen vertical communication and coordination, and increase the approval rate of project inventory. All responsible units should shoulder their primary responsibilities, intensify efforts in fixed asset investment inventory work, and strive to contribute beyond the set tasks. The County Government Supervision Office should track and supervise and report promptly to ensure that all work is efficiently, high-quality, and orderly advanced.

Ma Jiqing, member of the county Party standing committee and deputy county magistrate, presided over the meeting.

On November 26, Hengnan County held a scheduling meeting for investment promotion projects in the fourth quarter. Li Shibing, deputy secretary of the county Party committee and county magistrate, attended the meeting and emphasized that this scheduling meeting should be used as an opportunity to overcome difficulties, work diligently and pragmatically, and fully promote the early implementation and effectiveness of five key investment projects, with more enthusiasm, a more solid work style and more effective measures, to lay a solid foundation for achieving a "good start" in the first quarter of next year.

Li Shibing demanded that awareness be raised to unify thoughts and actions towards accelerating project promotion and serving economic development. It is essential to closely monitor target tasks and timelines, diligently perform service and support work to ensure that investment projects take root, blossom and bear fruit in Hengnan. He urged for responsibility and action, based on job duties, to strengthen coordination and cooperation, firmly establish the concept of "the whole county as one game," and effectively increase the support for project elements and environmental guarantees to ensure rapid and smooth project advancement. He also called for enhanced scheduling, the establishment of a special team for element guarantees, continuous optimization of the business environment, and full efforts to solve difficulties in project implementation to ensure that negotiated projects are landed, started, put into production, and become effective as early as possible.

County leaders Ma Jiqing, Peng Xiaodong, Zhou Xiangyang participated.

Many investment activities are carried out one after another; a group of investors come into the park of buildings and inspect at the project site; plenty of newly signed projects have been landed and begin to build in full swing... In the first half of the year, Hengyang investment promotion bursts. 212 major projects are negotiated and introduced , with a total investment of about 83.561 billion yuan and the inline capital of 38.223 billion yuan.

Investment promotion is the source of vitality for high-quality economic development. Adhering to the development strategy of "building the city through manufacturing and revitalizing it through culture and tourism", Hengyang city focuses on attracting projects, developing industries, strengthening entities and promoting development, for the purpose of comprehensively building a "grand investment promotion" framework. The main leaders of the municipal Party committee and government, along with heads of various departments and parks, have seriously fulfilled their "top leader" responsibilities, rolling up their sleeves to personally engage in over 10 investment promotion activities in the Greater Bay Area, Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, Yangtze River Delta and Hainan, participating in key project negotiations, thereby continuously improving the quality and efficiency of investment promotion. Meanwhile, Hengyang city has also selected young backbone forces to receive immersive training concerning investment promotion in Shenzhen. It has also hosted events such as the Hengyang Business Conference, New Year Forum, CISMEF and New Culture and Tourism New Consumption Investment Promotion Conference, creating a wave of large-scale investment promotion across the city.

The investment of 1 billion yuan by Baiyang Group for a new material deeply processing production base for automotive precision parts has been signed and settled in Hengyang high-tech zone, with an expected annual output value of 4 billion yuan. The investor has additionally invested in the construction of a third-phase project, which, once completed, will increase the annual production capacity of Fubang New Materials to 15,000 tons... Projects are the "strong engine" and "hard support" for promoting high-quality development. This year, Hengyang city continues to highlight five "industrial business cards" including nuclear technology applications, advanced manufacturing, non-ferrous metals, culture and tourism, and modern agriculture. Under the promotion of the "five systems and one platform" mechanism, we focus on precise investment promotion of resources, emphasize strengths to attract large and strong investments, and have signed 21 projects worth over 1 billion yuan, such as the "Fantastic Wonder" culture, tourism and health industry park. We have also signed 21 projects with "three types of top 500" companies including Guizhou Phosphate Chemical Group and CNNC, with a total investment of 10.55 billion yuan.

Hunan merchants are an indispensable force in the development of Hengyang. Attracted by the "strong magnetic field" of hometown sentiment, policies, services and industrial agglomeration, Hengyang city creates a good business environment to bring Hunan merchants back, revitalizes chamber of commerce and alumni association resources, vigorously carries out a series of activities titled "Talking Development with Hunan Merchants Face to Face", promoting industrial return, capital backflow, and project reinvestment. From January to June, the whole Hengyang city saw 75 newly registered enterprises returned by Hunan merchants, with actual cumulative capital reaching 23.896 billion yuan. We successfully held the 2024 Hengyang Business Conference, signing and introducing 32 projects with a total investment of 23.7 billion yuan, including 4 projects from "three types of top 500" companies and 5 foreign investment projects, which cover manufacturing, energy and urban infrastructure, agricultural industrialization and other fields.

In the golden autumn, Hengzhou is witnessing a surge of high-quality project development, with growth momentum reaching new heights.

On October 23rd 2024, the city conducted a comprehensive review of 10 major projects in Hengnan County, Qidong County, Songmu Economic Development Zone, and other areas. This initiative aimed to galvanize efforts across the city and reinforce confidence in achieving annual goals.

Major projects are important tools for promoting high-quality development and fostering new competitive advantages. The inspected projects spanned industries such as chemical (salt and brine) processing, modern logistics, advanced manufacturing, and new energy. These initiatives, characterized by strong spillover effects and high comprehensive benefits, are set to boost the expansion of dominant industries.

Focus on Manufacturing, Strengthen the Foundation

In recent years, the city has continuously prioritized enhancing its advanced manufacturing sector, driving in-situ expansion strategies, and supporting cutting-edge enterprises in technological innovation and market share growth.

▲ Hengnan Huidi Intelligent Robot Production Line

The Huidi Intelligent Robot Project, located in Hengnan County, has a total investment of 280 million yuan. As one of the world's earliest research and development manufacturers of window-cleaning robots, it mainly produces intelligent window-cleaning robots, intelligent floor scrubbers, robotic vacuum cleaners and other products, with an annual production capacity of 3 million units.

The Xianglan Recycling Project in Songmu Economic Development Zone is the largest hazardous waste treatment project in Hunan Province. It can process 60,000 tons of hazardous waste annually, including bottles, cans, scrap metal, and oil filters from various industrial and mining enterprises, which significantly alleviating environmental pressures from industrial hazardous solid waste in surrounding regions.

Precise Positioning to Drive Industrial Cluster Development

Introduce a project, cultivate a leader, forge an industrial cluster, ignite transformation, and reap results.

The Salt Brine Chemical and New Materials Industrial Cluster in Songmu Economic Development Zone is an advanced manufacturing industry cluster in Hunan. With abundant salt and brine resources, superior traffic location, and comprehensive supporting facilities, it has attracted leading enterprises such as KingBoard, forming a concentrated industrial chain synergy in salt and brine chemicals.

As an extension project of KingBoard salt brine chemical industry chain, Jinyi Technology Methane Chlorination Project commences construction in June this year. Upon completion, it will annually utilize 450,000 tons of chlorine gas and produce an additional 12,600 tons of hydrogen, increasing revenue by 760 million yuan and bringing the total tax revenue to over 200 million yuan. Meanwhile, it also provides raw material support for the development of downstream fluorochemical industries in Hengyang, resolving the bottleneck in the extension of the industry chain.

▲ Wanqi Technology New Energy Material Production Line Project

Hengyang Songmu Electroplating Industrial Park is the only electroplating park approved in the city. It has established three electroplating zones mainly for hard chromium, electronic components, and decorative chromium plating products. The park is equipped with environmental protection facilities and public auxiliary projects, including a wastewater treatment plant capable of processing 3,500 metric tons of electroplating wastewater daily, hazardous chemical storage facilities, exhaust gas treatment systems, and auxiliary utilities. Currently, nine companies including AVIC(China Aviation Industry Corporation), Jianlin, Shengke, and Hengquan have successfully settled in the park. Spanning industries such as eyewear, watches, electronic information, and equipment manufacturing, it is estimated that they can achieve an annual output value of 1 billion yuan and an annual tax revenue of 33 million yuan.

Accelerate Efficiency for Advancing Projects at Full Throttle

Major projects are both a “stabilizer” and a “propeller.” Through tackling key challenges and implementing reverse scheduling, the responsible units for various projects have continuously optimized services and strengthened support around the annual goals this year, leading to significant increases in project investment and physical output.

▲ Hengyang Converter Station of the "Ningxia Power Transmission to Hunan" Project

Stepping into the construction site of the Hengyang Converter Station project for the "Ningxia Power Transmission to Hunan" project, workers are diligently pressing forward with the construction. This project serves as the receiving-end converter station for the Ningxia-Hunan ±800 kV Ultra-High Voltage Direct Current (UHVDC) Transmission Project, with a static investment of approximately 5.75 billion yuan. Since the start of construction in September 2023, 60% of the main civil structure has been completed. Once completed and put into operation, it is expected to transmit nearly 40 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually to Hunan, effectively enhancing the province's power supply capacity and driving the construction of energy hubs and the development of related industries.

The Angtuo Superhard Electroplated Diamond Project completed the entire process from main construction commencement to project operation in just 10 months. the Chengyu Zinc Products' Transformation and Upgrading Lithium Carbonate Project, which commenced in August, has now entered the trial production phase. The Hunan Post Xiangnan Sorting Center Project, one of the three major provincial-level mail processing centers in Hunan, has completed 65% of its total construction since its commencement in May this year, with the decoration work expected to be finished by the end of the year.

……

Efficient advancement has accelerated the progress of construction projects. From January to September, the 50 key provincial projects in Hengyang reported a completed investment of 32.22 billion yuan, which is 9.6 percentage points higher than the same period last year. The 400 municipal key projects are expected to achieve investments of 85 billion yuan, exceeding the scheduled progress by 12.3 percentage points. This has driven an 8.4% growth rate in fixed-asset investment, ranking 3rd in the province and 1st among Class A prefecture-level cities, outperforming the provincial average by 6.1 percentage points and the national average by 5 percentage points.

▲ Construction Project of Keduo Electrical and Plastic Products Factor

At present, key projects with evident support functions, strong driving forces, and significant benefits are being vigorously advanced. They are solid foundation for the bright future of Hengyang.

On November 21, in celebration of Hengyang Normal University’s 120th anniversary and 25 years of undergraduate education, Zhuhui District hosted the “Meet at Hengyang Normal University, Wisdom Converges in Zhuhui”—“Return of Hunan Entrepreneurs, Alumni Back to Hunan” entrepreneur project observation and forum event. Over 20 prominent alumni gathered to participate in the provincial “Alumni Back to Hunan” initiative, revisiting their time at Hengyang Normal University and discussing future opportunities. Liu Zilan, President of Hengyang Normal University, also attended the forum.

The alumni visited Hunan Yanfeng Winery Co., Ltd., where they toured the Hengzhou Liquor Culture Exhibition Park, the brewing workshops, and underground wine cellars. They not only tasted the wine but also crafted their own blends, experiencing the intangible cultural heritage brewing process of Yanfeng Liquor firsthand, while exploring potential cooperation opportunities during the visit. The group also visited the Chinese-Hengyang Old Industrial Base Exhibition Hall in the Meet Hunan, Build Hunan Industrial Cultural District, where they witnessed how the historic factories and machinery had been revitalized, reflecting the pride of the local industrial history. "The changes are truly remarkable!" They exclaimed.

“Zhuhui is not only the land of our youthful memories but also a fertile ground for alumni entrepreneurship!” At the “Return of Hunan Entrepreneurs, Alumni Back to Hunan” forum, Wei Zhongfa, Secretary of the Zhuhui District Committee and a fellow alumnus, reassured the attendees by stating that Zhuhui will provide the most efficient government environment for business, the most standardized market environment for vitality, the most friendly social environment for business, and the most just legal environment for security, positioning Zhuhui as the warmest “harbor” for entrepreneurs. He encouraged alumni to become “industrialists” driving Zhuhui’s development, “liaisons” for investment, and “spokespeople” for its image, jointly contributing to the realization of the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation in Zhuhui.

“I would like to thank all departments for their full support during my concert in Hengyang!” “Zhuhui District is a hotbed for investment, and we hope to bring our project to Zhuhui in the next phase!” “Zhuhui District has rich educational resources. Our group has already partnered with vocational colleges in Zhuhui, and we hope to deepen this cooperation moving forward!”…

During the alumni speeches, several prominent alumni expressed their investment intentions. Wang Xiaoshan, Chairman of Zhejiang Xiaoshan Film and Media Co., Ltd., President of the Hengyang Normal University Beijing Alumni Association; Yang Yang, Chairman of Bai Jin Hui Investments Group Holdings Limited nd President of the Hengyang Normal University Jiangxi Alumni Association; He Kun, President of Zhongtong Express Group Zhongkuai Media/Youmi Technology (Zhejiang) Co., Ltd President of the Hengyang Normal University Shanghai Alumni Association, all voiced their plans to invest in the district.

To strengthen investment statistics across the city and improve the quality of project registrations, on November 29, Liu Lin, a member of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy Director of the Hengyang Municipal Bureau of Statistics, led a team to Changning City to investigate the progress of investment projects.

Liu Lin and his team visited multiple projects, including the Changning Weimei Yang Clothing Co., Ltd.’s multifunctional fabric textile and dyeing automation project, the Hunan Hongcheng Textile Co., Ltd.’s water-washing and dyeing automation project, and the Changning Pingye Clothing Co., Ltd.’s intelligent factory for clothing, shoes, and hats production lines. They were briefed on project plans, investments, funding sources, and construction progress, and addressed issues businesses encountered during the registration process.

Liu Lin highly recognized Changning City’s efforts in investment project statistics and made further recommendations to improve project registration: First, to ensure the timely tracking and support of enterprise development by relevant departments, encouraging businesses to report all projects; second, to strictly review project registrations to ensure the authenticity of investments and prevent erroneous reporting; and third, to strengthen statistical oversight during the reporting process, ensuring accurate and credible raw data verification.

As one of the 22 key projects of the third Hunan Tourism Development Conference, Tongqi Biotech Traditional Chinese Medicine Health Technology Park, the first automated traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) factory in China and globally, is set to open to the public. Currently, the TCM diagnosis and treatment section of the project has already been put into operation, and the intelligent production of TCM has been installed and completed.

It is reported that the Tongqi Biotechnology Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM)Health and Wellness Science and Technology Park covers an area of 113 acres and has an investment of 1 billion yuan.It is the first project in China and the world to rely on the Internet and big data analysis,employing Industry 4.0 technology to integrate"Internet Plus,"TCM clinics,intelligent production of TCM decoctions,single-formula preparation,and data analysis.The park is managed through an ERP system and a MES production execution system,realizing intelligent production of TCM decoctions and TCM soup agents.It forms a new closed-loop system in the TCM pharmaceutical industry,providing personalized,modernized,and industrialized services through"one prescription for one person,one formula for one person."It achieves the perfect integration of TCM manufacturing,diagnosis and health care,intelligent production,TCM and technology,medical care and tourism,as well as inheritance and innovation.It is an important project for the city's exploration and development of the health and wellness industry in recent years.

Yesterday,the author visited the project department of the Tongqi Biotechnology TCM Health and Wellness Science and Technology Park.The project manager informed the author that the construction and acceptance of all building structures in the park have been completed.The central control room has been put into use,the decoction workshop is ready for production,the equipment for the decoction pieces workshop has been basically installed and is undergoing commissioning,the medicinal diet restaurant has been completed,the outpatient department has completed its internal facility configuration and is ready for diagnosis,and the hard decoration of the TCM museum has been completed.The internal equipment installation and soft decoration optimization are underway.

At the site,the author observed that the Tongqi Biotechnology TCM Health and Wellness Science and Technology Park,as an industrial tourism project,mainly consists of a TCM demonstration base,a TCM museum,and intelligent production of TCM.Currently,the TCM demonstration base has started trial operations.The hard decoration of the TCM museum,including painting and wall construction,has been completed,and the intelligent production of TCM has been basically installed and commissioned.

The company's executive said that Tongqi Biotechnology has adopted the Industry 4.0 concept to build and functionally equip the project according to the standards of graded scenic spots and industrial tourism requirements.It uses intelligent manufacturing to fully reproduce the traditional TCM processing and decoction processes,realizing the entire process of intelligent factory production,scientific storage,three levels of quality control from field planting to user delivery,and a user traceability system with a single code,making it a transparent TCM production factory that users can trust.

It is understood that the Tongqi TCM Museum is a comprehensive museum integrating historical display,cultural inheritance,scientific research and education,and tourism.The entire museum is designed with exhibits based on the human meridians,the direction of the body's meridians,and the distribution of acupuncture points.It features interactive experience areas,such as AI doctors telling stories,intelligent TCM constitution identification,and Qigong interactive games,allowing visitors to learn about TCM knowledge in a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere and enhance their interest and understanding of traditional medicine.

The company will collaborate with the CCTV program"Amazing TCM"to regularly invite folk TCM practitioners with unique skills from across the country to provide diagnostic services in Hengyang.

On October 25, Zhuhui District held a centralized signing ceremony for investment promotion and the "Return of Xiang Entrepreneurs" project. Eleven high-quality enterprises from key fields and emerging sectors such as eyewear and vision, agricultural technology, energy materials, digital economy, and eco-friendly building materials signed agreements to settle in Zhuhui. With major and high-quality projects as benchmarks, these initiatives aim to fully unleash their driving effects, injecting new vitality into the high-quality development of Zhuhui. Together, they will jointly realize and share the new vision of building a "strong manufacturing district and a thriving cultural tourism district."

"The signing with Zhuhui this time is not only an important test of our company's technical and service capabilities but also a new starting point for deepening cooperation and jointly creating a bright future," said Zhao Pengcheng, representative of Southern Power Grid Comprehensive Energy Co., Ltd., expressing firm confidence in establishing a strong presence in Zhuhui. As a pioneer in China's energy conservation and emission reduction sector, Southern Power Grid Comprehensive Energy Co., Ltd. has not only implemented multiple landmark green energy projects domestically but has also consistently ranked at the top in the energy-saving service industry for many years. The company's investment in Zhuhui District focuses on the comprehensive utilization of wind power as a clean energy source. This project will not only effectively enhance the local supply capacity of clean energy, promote economic structural optimization, and industrial upgrading but also significantly improve environmental conditions, contributing to the achievement of carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals. In the future, the company will fully leverage its technical expertise and resource advantages, working closely with Zhuhui District to advance the planning, construction, and management of the project, bringing significant social and economic benefits to the region.

It is reported that the 11 projects signed this time involve a total investment of 3.9 billion yuan. Key projects include the Fuxi Farm, an artificial intelligence industry-education integration demonstration base, the Hengyang Trading Center of Guizhou Joint Venture Sauce Liquor Group, the Shanggong Kitchen Linghu Manor, the Hengyang New Eco-friendly Building Materials Production and Processing Base, quartz stone processing, and eyewear production, among others.

In recent years, Zhuhui has consistently prioritized project development and investment expansion as the "primary driver" for promoting high-quality development, attracting a large number of entrepreneurs to invest and establish businesses in the region. Notably, four key culture landscape projects—Linghu Park, Xiangjian·Jianxiang Industrial Cultural Block, Baoweili Cultural Creative Block, and Suzhou Bay—made a stunning debut at the third Hunan Tourism Development Conference, gaining widespread attention and showcasing the image and charm of Zhuhui. From January to September this year, Zhuhui signed seven projects, including Hainan Mango Cultural Tourism Dongzhou River Street, Kuntai New Materials, and Hunan Hanlin Linghu Amusement Park, with a total investment of 5.2 billion yuan. Additionally, four Xiang entrepreneurs returned to register companies, bringing in 1.5 billion yuan in capital.