On April 1, the State Council issued a guideline regarding the appraisal system for national economic and technological development zones, in a bid to promote innovation-driven development.

Amid profound international and domestic changes, the appraisal system should be improved to allow national economic and technological development zones to continue playing a vital role in promoting innovation-driven development, stable economic growth and economic structural adjustment as well as improving people’s livelihoods, the State Council said.

The development target of the appraisal system is ensuring that national economic and technological development zones play a leading role in building a new open economic system and attracting foreign investment, while serving as demonstration zones for innovation-driven and green development and implementing the strategy of mass entrepreneurship and innovation.

In addition, efforts should be made to create new advantages in capital and technology-intensive industries, and boost medium-to-high economic growth and high-level international economic cooperation, according to the State Council.

The Ministry of Commerce will take the lead in improving the appraisal system and coordinate with other departments.

To be more specific, national economic and technological zones with good prospects will be given incentives regarding finance, land, and human resource and will be encouraged to share their management success with other development zones.

On the other hand, national economic and technological development zones that end up on the bottom five twice in a row may be demoted to the provincial level.

Efforts should also be made to enhance industry foundation, encourage innovation, promote regional development, strengthen green development, and advance innovation in system and mechanism at national economic and technological development zones, according to the State Council.

As hubs of advanced manufacturing industries and regional economic growth poles, national economic and technological development zones made many contributions to the nation’s opening-up over the past 30 years.