The World Bank says it would like to work with the Chinese government in 2006 in an effort to revitalize the old industrial bases in northeast China.

The World Bank Country Director for China, David Dollar, says a key economic index indicates the economy of northeast China is far behind China's inshore provinces. 

He has made the statement at a conference held recently in Harbin, capital of northeastern Heilongjiang Province.

 

Meanwhile, the World Bank has completed a strategic report on revitalizing northeast China, in which it says China should eliminate obstacles hindering foreign investment in industry and transportation.

 

Moreover, the World Bank has suggested solving the financing problems of medium and small sized companies through financial market reforms.

 

The northeast region, including Heilongjiang, Jilin and Liaoning provinces, has contributed to China's first batch of steel, machine tools, locomotives and planes after the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, and still has potential in all those fields.

 

Built in the 1950s, many of the traditional industrial enterprises have become less competitive with some losing money over the past 20 years when China shifted from its planned economy towards the current reform and opening-up initiatives.

(Xinhua News Agency January 31, 2006)