In the government work report delivered to the city's lawmakers yesterday, Mayor Xu Zongheng set the main targets for the city's economic and social development in 2007 as follows:

The city's GDP is expected to rise 13 percent. Registered urban unemployment rate will be kept within 3 percent. The disposable income of Shenzhen's urban residents will grow 7 percent.

To achieve the above-mentioned goals, the report said the city government will try its best to do well in the following areas:

Upgrading industrial structure

The city will spearhead the development of advanced manufacturing and service industries, and focus on technological innovation.

The city will introduce a shift from manufacturing based on imitation to production based on homegrown research and development.

Shenzhen will promote the development of refined chemicals, automobiles, auto electronics as well as some strategically innovative industries such as biopharmaceuticals and semiconductors.

The government will gradually guide the city's companies to move out of town their labor-intensive assembly lines and retain their headquarters, research and development centers, procurement centers and financial centers in Shenzhen.

The city will develop a recycling economy, forcing out serious polluters and big energy consumers from the city.

The report also outlined the development plan for modern and advanced service industries including finance, modern logistics, network information, services outsourcing, innovative design, branding exhibition and luxury tourism.

The report also said the government will lure more financial institutions to move their head offices and back-office service centers to Shenzhen.

Infrastructure

The construction of the Xiamen-Shenzhen railway will began, and Phase III extension of the Yantian port, Phase I of the Dachan port and Phase III of the Shekou port will be accelerated.

The infrastructure facilities of Shenzhen Port will be improved, strengthening its position as an international container hub. The city will speed up the expansion of the Shenzhen airport, ease the traffic congestion in its airspace, and strengthen its position as an air cargo hub.

The extension of Metro Lines 1 and 4 and the construction of Metro Lines 2 and 3 will be stepped up. The planning of Phase III of the Metro and the feasibility study on Metro Line 5 and the extension of Metro Lines 2 and 3 will be completed as soon as possible.

The city will push ahead with the renovation of its road network as well as the construction of a BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) system.

The city will complete the construction of the Shenzhen Bay and Futian checkpoints, accelerate the renovation of the Huanggang and Wenjindu checkpoints and the planning of the Liantang Checkpoint.

The city will increase investment in infrastructure construction outside the special economic zone and accelerate its urbanization process. The construction of Longhua New Town, Eastern New Town and Guangming New Town will be sped up.

Housing prices

The government promises to improve macrocontrol over the real estate market to ensure an effective supply and firmly crack down on illegal hoarding of land and housing. The city will supply low-income families with more and better houses.

Universiade preparations

Making preparations for the 2011 Universiade will be a major task of the city in the next few years. The government will act promptly to ensure all the preparation work goes smoothly.

Related planning will be improved, and the construction of Universiade City and key sports venues will be accelerated.

Shenzhen will host the best Universiade ever held in the history of university sports by providing first-rate facilitates, first-rate environment and first-rate services.

Education

The city will forge ahead with the balanced development of compulsory education, enhance the fairness in education and improve the planning and distribution of primary schools outside the special economic zone.

More investment will be made in pre-school education.

The city will speed up the construction of boarding schools, standardize public funded schools and carry out vocational education.

The city will start the preparatory work on founding Nanfang University of Science and Technology, carry out the renovation and expansion of Shenzhen University, and speed up the construction of the new campus of Shenzhen Institute of Information Technology.

Medical care

The city will invest heavily in key healthcare projects, including community health service centers and health networks for migrant workers.

The government will make sure every district has at least one city-level hospital soon so that all residents can easily access high-quality medical services.

The city will standardize medical billing in a bid to prevent hospitals from overcharging patients. All the migrant workers in Shenzhen will be covered by the government-run medical insurance scheme this year.

Transportation

The city will make every effort to ease traffic congestion, especially in the center areas.

The report promises that the city government will reduce bus fares.

Relevant departments publicly apologized to local residents after the Meilin Checkpoint saw serious traffic congestions last year. Public apologies will be required to be made and responsibility should be claimed once mistakes or neglect of duty lead to serious damage to public interests.

Environmental protection

Shenzhen will continue treating river pollution. Major projects include the comprehensive treatment of the Maozhou River as well as the ecological rehabilitation of Shenzhen's rivers, bays, and other waters. The sewage treatment plants and sewage network will be upgraded.

The city will work together with Hong Kong and other Pearl River Delta cities to control air pollution.

The government will build Shenzhen into a national ecological and garden city, and push ahead with the construction of ecological scenic forests, forest parks, suburban parks, urban parks, community parks and nature reserves.

The city will speed up the construction of the CBD in the center of the city, Shenzhen Bay's 15-kilometer seashore leisure zone, the mangrove restoration project on Fengtang River in Futian District, and the Dapeng Peninsula national geopark. The city's urban and architectural design will be improved. More efforts will be made to improve the landscape of key.

(Shenzhen Daily March 22, 2007)