ximhan@126.com

    AT the opening of the Sixth Shenzhen Party Congress on Thursday, Party chief Ma Xing-rui told 480 representatives that Shenzhen will make efforts to continue as a national economic center, become a more international city and improve the livelihoods of its residents over the next five years.

    The meeting is being closely watched because decisions made there will have a significant impact on the future of the city as it tries to implement the development goals set by the State Council for the Pearl River Delta area.

    Shenzhen authorities have said they will promote innovation and continue development of the Belt and Road Initiative, while continuing urbanization and respecting the environment.

    “By 2020, the input in research and development will account for 4.25 percent of the GDP, which will reach 2.6 trillion yuan (US$413 million). The number of local enterprises that enter the world top 500 will reach 8 to 10. The per capita dispensable income of Shenzhen residents could reach 60,000 yuan,” Ma said.

    “Shenzhen will further enhance regional cooperation to promote construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay area, the ‘three plus two’ economic circle of Shenzhen, Dongguan and Huizhou with Heyuan and Shanwei, and the Shenzhen-Shanwei Cooperation Zone, and continue extensive cooperation with other Pearl River Delta cities,” Ma said.

    (Continued on P3)

    The city will also push forward construction of the third runway of the Shenzhen airport, metro projects, the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Corridor, the outer ring expressway, the Pingshan-Yantian Corridor, the Shenzhen-Ganzhou High Speed Rail and the city’s second exhibition center in the coming five years, according to the report at the Party congress.

    Ma Jian, a professor at Shenzhen University, was impressed with the stated goals and said that housing projects and construction projects should continue.

    “It would be a remarkable achievement if Shenzhen’s per capita dispensable income reached 60,000 yuan by 2020. I hope Shenzhen will make breakthroughs in education reform, offer more government subsidized apartments and open more metro lines.” said Professor Ma.

    At the panel discussions yesterday, reviewing Ma Xingrui’s report, Li Huanan, a representative from Luohu, said the report was objective about the past five years and had comprehensive plans for the next five years.

    The four-day congress will examine a report on the work of the Party’s commission for discipline and inspection and elect members of the Standing Committee of the Shenzhen Party Committee.