China establishes national innovation demonstration zone in Xinjiang

The Urumqi, Changji and Shihezi high-tech zones have been combined and elevated into a national innovation demonstration zone, according to a document published by the State Council on Wednesday.

The three adjacent cities in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region will enjoy a series of favorable policies to further streamline administration, nurture innovation industry cluster, stimulate vitality of innovative entities and create an innovation hub along the Silk Road Economic Belt, the document said.

The commercialization of research findings, talent cultivation and introduction, intellectual property right protection and cooperation with central and western Asian countries will also be highlighted.

The country's first national innovation demonstration zone was set up in 2009 in Zhongguancun, Beijing's tech hub.