The Internet of Things (IOT) - a global network that links physical and virtual objects through data capture and communication (European Union definition) - is becoming a major new industry in China, especially in one particular county.

Shuangliu county, which is under the jurisdiction of Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province, began developing its IOT capabilities back in 2006.

In May, 2010, Chengdu recognized it as an IOT industrial base.

Gao Zhijian, the county Party chief, when asked about their vision for the future, replied, "Our goal is to be China's first 'Smart City' and to make Shuangliu a name that cannot be ignored wherever and whenever IOT is mentioned in the world."

The county is one of China's first IOT centers in the areas of security, intelligent disease control, and financial systems technology, and wants to be a national demonstration center for IOT research and applications, within three years.

The center has specific object identification, sensor, and connection capabilities and contains some major companies, such as Chengdu Ganide Technology Co Ltd, Measurement Specialties Inc, and the Datang Telecom Technology Co Ltd.

County officials have drawn up a three-year development plan for 2010-2012 to attract more than 20 large companies with total investment and annual output value each above 10 billion yuan.

To finance its projects, the local government has established a 200-million-yuan fund for IOT development and, by the end of the 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-2015), expects IOT revenues to reach 50 billion yuan.

(China Daily 12/09/2011 page60)