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Governor calls for a service industry boost

By Ma Chenguang (China Daily Anhui Bureau)
Updated: 2010-07-30 14:03

HEFEI - Anhui Governor Wang Sanyun said on Friday the service industry, which is still a "short leg" in the East China province's development, should be unswervingly and steadily promoted.

Speaking at the 11th plenary session of the provincial government, he said the province's current proportion of the first, second and service industries at 14.9:48.8:36.3 showed the rate of the industry is far lower than the country's average, as represented in a ratio of 10.6:46.8:42.6.

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"We can neither compare it with the developed regions in the country, nor with the developed countries, which all carry a higher rate," Wang said, affirming that enhancing service industries is a major channel in effectively expanding consumption, promoting economic growth and improving people's livelihood in the province.

During the first half of this year, Anhui reaped a gross domestic product of 553.72 billion yuan ($81.4 billion), a rise of 15.3 percent over the same period last year --- a record in many years, but maintaining the steady growth is still the top priority in developing the economy, he told the participants, all senior officials from the provincial government or mayors of the province's 17 cities.

"We should use advanced technology to endlessly and unswervingly equip the province," Wang said, as only advanced technology can help Anhui to elevate its traditional industries and empower the new and high-tech industries.

The governor called on the participants to make best use of the construction of the Industrial Transfer Demonstration Zone in the Anhui Yangtze River City Belt and an Integrated Reform Pilot Area of Hefei-Wuhu-Bengbu Independent Innovation for faster development by seizing opportunities in these two large national platforms offered to the province by the State Council.

Meanwhile, Wang said the province also netted a total output of summer grain at 12.117 million tons during the first half-year, fulfilling 39.4 percent of its target for this year, and utilized $2.47 billion for actual foreign investment, a rise of 25 percent over the year-earlier period.