China to create Motown

A large automobile manufacturing base, dubbed the ‘International Automobile City’, is to be set up in Shenyang, the capital of northeast China’s Liaoning province.

As one of the main industrial bases in China, Shenyang plans to invest 20 billion yuan (2.4 billion US dollars) to build the new industrial centre, which will reportedly cover 30 square kilometres.

The project is expected to be launched at the end of the year, and to be completed by 2005.

The industrial centre is designed to have an annual capacity of 100,000 vehicles, generate 50 billion yuan (6 billion US dollars) in sales, and create 100,000 jobs.

Dadong District, where the project is located, currently has four automobile plants, three car-engine manufacturers, three car- remoulding factories, and over 20 workshops to make parts and fittings, with a yearly output exceeding 10 billion yuan (1.2 billion US dollars).

According to official figures, Shenyang’s auto industry produces a quarter of the country’s automobile products, and last year, it achieved 18 billion yuan (2.17 billion US dollars)`in sales.

The new industrial base will include seven zones, namely, a car- assembly zone, a parts and fittings manufacturing zone, a research and development centre, a trade centre, a distribution centre, a testing ground, and a parking area.

Source: Xinhua News Agency.

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