Tangshan eyes high-quality development

By then, the production capacity for steel will be controlled at 115 million metric tons and the number of steelmaking companies reduced to 30 from the current 40, with their total annual revenue reaching 600 billion yuan ($89.55 billion), the plan said.

Except for upgrading four pillar industries - iron and steel, equipment manufacturing, chemicals and building materials, the city also focuses on developing emerging industries, including intelligent rail transit equipment manufacturing, specialized robots production and modern logistics.

CRRC Tangshan Co Ltd, the country's first railway equipment manufacturer, completed operational tests in February for a variable high-speed train, the first of its kind that can be adapted to suit different demands.

The self-researched train has broken through many technological difficulties that had limited the flexibility of trains' capacity for more than half a century.

According to the company, the number of the train's carriages can range from two to 16 in line with passenger volume.

"There will be no growth momentum if a company does not innovate," said Zhang Lei, head of the company's research and development center.

In the past three years, the company has invested more than 2.3 billion yuan in research for new technologies, Zhang said.

In the future, the company will stick to science and technology and develop fully self-driving trains for subways, intercity railways and even high-speed rail lines, said Hou Zhigang, chairman of the board at the company.

Quanzhou CRRC Tangshan Co Ltd, a subsidiary of CRRC Tangshan Co Ltd in Quanzhou, Fujian province, recently rolled-out an automated driverless subway train and completed operational tests for the train on April 9.

Jointly developed by the subsidiary and Siemens Transportation (China), the automated train is 19 meters in length and 2.8 meters in width, with a designed speed of 80 kilometers per hour.

The train operates automatically at all times, including opening and closing doors, starting and stopping at stations, self-checking and handling emergencies, according to the CRRC Tangshan Co.

It is expected to be applied in some new subway lines in Fujian.

To achieve high-quality development, Tangshan has introduced 40 supporting policies to encourage innovation in recent years.

The municipal government provides 100 million yuan each year as subsidies or awards to companies that have done outstanding work in strengthening capabilities for scientific and technological innovation, according to a document on the policies.

Hebei Ruizhao Laser Refabrication Technology Co, a restorer for high-precision electromechanical equipment in Tangshan, was awarded a million yuan in February for its contribution to the city's green development.

Since its establishment in 2006, the company has helped save 190,000 tons of metal resources and 260,000 tons of coal, cutting carbon emissions by 360,000 tons and saving its customers 1.5 billion yuan, according to Tangshan Municipal Government.

By 2020, at least 40 percent of industrial companies in Tangshan should own research departments for enhancing innovation ability, the development plan said.