Han Ximin

    ximhan@126.com

    SHENZHEN has set a GDP growth target of 8.5 percent this year, according to a report delivered by Mayor Xu Qin at the opening session of the six-day Sixth Shenzhen Municipal People’s Congress on Saturday.

    The urban unemployment rate will be held below 3 percent this year, according to the report.

    In 2015, the city will spend 110 billion yuan (US$17.5 billion) on projects meant to raise quality of life, including construction of 15,000 government-subsidized apartments, construction and expansion of high schools that will add 5,700 new spots for school enrollment and renovations to 65 parks.

    The city will also speed up construction of the Bantian-Yinhu Passage, the Pingshan-Yantian Passage, the Outer Ring Expressway and the Dananshan Tunnel project. By 2020, the city’s GDP is predicted to reach 2.6 trillion yuan and per capital GDP will reach US$35,000.

    To implement the New Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road initiatives, Shenzhen will promote the bay economy of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, along with cooperating with the Pearl River Delta cities.

    “Shenzhen and Hong Kong cooperation will be enhanced through Qianhai’s development. By 2020, the GDP in Qianhai will reach 150 billion yuan,” Xu said.

    To be a livable city, the city will further improve air quality by reducing PM 2.5 concentration to less than 30 milligrams per cubic meter by 2020.

    “Transformation and innovation are two driving forces for Shenzhen’s sustainable development, Shenzhen is confident in its GDP growth based on the achievements it has made in the past five years,” said Guo Wanda, executive deputy chief with Shenzhen China Development Institute.

    In 2014, the city’s GDP reached 1.6 trillion yuan, growing 8.8 percent year-on-year and almost double the amount in 2009.

    (Special report on P3)