To the People’s Governments of all flags, counties, and districts; the Administrative Committee of the Rare Earth High-Tech Zone; relevant municipal departments and units; and enterprises and institutions under the central and regional governments:
To implement the spirit of the “Several Opinions of the State Council on Promoting the High-Quality Development of National High-Tech Industrial Development Zones” (State Council Document [2020] No. 7) and the “Implementation Opinions of the People’s Government of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on Promoting the High-Quality Development of High-Tech Industrial Development Zones” (Inner Mongolia Government Document [2021] No. 13),and to accelerate the high-quality development of our city’s High-Tech Industrial Development Zone (hereinafter referred to as the “High-Tech Zone”), in conjunction with the “Notice of the CPC Baotou Municipal Committee and the Baotou Municipal People’s Government on Issuing the ‘Twenty-Five Policy Measures for Baotou City to Implement the “Science and Technology Revitalization of Inner Mongolia” Initiative and Build a Regional Innovation Center’” (Baodangfa [2021] No. 24), the following implementation opinions are hereby put forward.
I. General Requirements
(1) Guiding Principles
Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, we will thoroughly implement the spirit of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and all plenary sessions of the 19th Central Committee, firmly establish the new development philosophy, accelerate the formation of a new development paradigm, comprehensively implement the innovation-driven development strategy, and vigorously advance the “Science and Technology Revitalization of Inner Mongolia” initiative. With the goal of enhancing the quality and efficiency of our High-Tech Zone’s development, and guided by the principle of “developing high-tech industries and achieving industrialization,” we will firmly adhere to the development positioning of “high-end” and “innovative,” and uphold the principles of high-end clustering, innovation-driven development, open collaboration, and distinctive development;Taking the deepening of institutional and systemic reforms and the creation of a favorable innovation ecosystem as key drivers, and with scientific and technological innovation as the core, we will focus on enhancing independent innovation capabilities; prioritizing the building of leading industrial clusters and the commercialization of scientific and technological achievements, we will accelerate the high-quality development of the High-Tech Zone, striving to build it into the “main force, driving force, and vanguard” leading high-quality development.
(2) Development Goals
By 2022, cultivate one industrial park to apply for designation as an autonomous regional-level high-tech zone; by 2023, cultivate and establish two autonomous regional-level high-tech zones to radiate and drive development in surrounding areas; by 2025, the city’s high-tech zones will have achieved continuous innovation in institutional mechanisms, a significant enhancement in innovation capabilities, a markedly improved environment for innovation and entrepreneurship, and a substantial increase in comprehensive strength. The path of innovation-driven development will be fundamentally established, with R&D intensity in national-level high-tech zones reaching over 4% and in autonomous regional-level high-tech zones reaching over 2%;the number of high-tech enterprises will account for more than 60% of the city’s total, with national-level high-tech zones accounting for 40% and autonomous region-level zones for 20%; the Baotou Rare Earth High-Tech Zone will achieve “quality improvement and ranking advancement,” rising from its current 89th place to around 65th in the national ranking of high-tech zones;Five autonomous regional-level high-tech zones will be established, with a markedly optimized industrial structure, significantly improved development environment, and a more streamlined and efficient management system. The overall quality of development in these zones will be significantly enhanced, and their leading and supportive role in driving the city’s economic restructuring and industrial transformation and upgrading will steadily increase. The innovation-driven development of the city’s high-tech zones will rank among the top in the autonomous region, with a substantial boost in comprehensive competitiveness, making them a model for the autonomous region in transforming development patterns and adjusting economic structures.
II. Promoting the Upgrading of Industrial Parks
(3) Promote the Quality Improvement and Ranking Advancement of the Baotou Rare Earth High-Tech Zone, and Support the Construction of the “Hohhot-Baotou-Ordos National Independent Innovation Demonstration Zone”
Launch the “Quality Improvement and Ranking Advancement” initiative for national-level high-tech zones to establish the innovation-driven development demonstration zone for the “J”-shaped bend of the Yellow River metropolitan area and the core zone of the regional innovation center. For every five-rank improvement in the annual ranking of the Rare Earth High-Tech Zone compared to the previous year, 5 million yuan in financial support will be provided.Support the Baotou Rare Earth High-Tech Zone in building the “Hohhot-Baotou-Ordos National Independent Innovation Demonstration Zone” and fostering a world-class cluster for rare earth new materials industries, while continuing to provide policy support to the Baotou National Rare Earth High-Tech Zone. (Responsible Units: Municipal Science and Technology Bureau, Industry and Information Technology Bureau, Finance Bureau, Natural Resources Bureau, and Baotou Rare Earth High-Tech Zone Administrative Committee)
(4) Cultivating and Developing Autonomous Regional-Level High-Tech Zones
Establish a “promotion and cultivation” mechanism to strengthen the coordination of planning, construction, industrial development, and innovation resource allocation for the city’s high-tech zones. Support the development of industrial parks with strong innovation capabilities—such as the Qingshan Equipment Manufacturing Park, Kun District Metal Deep Processing Park, Donghe Aluminum Industry Park, and Jiuyuan Industrial Park—to establish autonomous regional-level high-tech zones. By 2025, cultivate five autonomous regional-level high-tech zones, and achieve full coverage of autonomous regional-level high-tech zones across all flags, counties, and districts by 2030.For those newly approved as autonomous regional-level high-tech zones, provide corresponding support in accordance with the provisions of the “Twenty-Five Policy Measures for Baotou City to Implement the ‘Science and Technology Revitalization of Inner Mongolia’ Initiative and Build a Regional Innovation Center.” (Responsible Units: Municipal Science and Technology Bureau, Industry and Information Technology Bureau, Finance Bureau, Natural Resources Bureau, Ecology and Environment Bureau; governments of all flags, counties, and districts; management committees of relevant industrial parks)
III. Strengthening the Innovation Capacity of High-Tech Zones
(5) Strengthening the Development of Innovation Platforms
High-tech zones should leverage industrial development to support enterprises in establishing and building innovation platforms such as key laboratories, technology innovation centers, engineering research centers, industrial innovation centers, manufacturing innovation centers, and enterprise technology centers. They should support enterprises in collaborating with research institutions and universities to establish enterprise-led R&D platforms, ensuring that the number of autonomous regional-level or higher science and technology innovation platforms or new-type R&D institutions within the high-tech zones reaches 20 or more.High-tech zones should actively foster industrial innovation consortia, such as new-type R&D institutions, innovate the management of science and technology funds, pilot the implementation of a block-grant management model for science and technology funding, and grant R&D institutions and innovation platforms greater autonomy. Support leading science and technology enterprises in high-tech zones to establish resource-sharing platforms to promote integrated and coordinated development among upstream and downstream sectors of the industrial chain, as well as between large, medium, and small enterprises.(Responsible Units: Rare Earth High-Tech Zone Administrative Committee; Administrative Committees of all autonomous region-level high-tech zones; Municipal Science and Technology Bureau, Development and Reform Commission, Industry and Information Technology Bureau, Education Bureau, and Finance Bureau)
(6) Attracting and Cultivating Innovative Talent
All flags, counties, and districts, as well as the Rare Earth High-Tech Zone and other autonomous region high-tech zones, must effectively implement national, autonomous region, and municipal talent policies. They should formulate regional talent policies tailored to local conditions, establish mechanisms for policy implementation, and improve systems for cultivating scientific and technological talent through major science and technology projects to ensure that all talent policies are fully implemented.Increase support for the cultivation of industry-leading talents and young innovative talents. Support key enterprises within the parks in jointly establishing and managing modern industrial colleges with higher education institutions, and support enterprises, public institutions, universities, and research institutes within the parks in establishing “talent enclaves” in talent- and technology-dense regions outside the city.Establish a fast-track process for the recruitment and settlement of talent in high-tech zones, and grant high-tech zones the authority to formulate flexible income distribution systems. (Responsible Units: Governments of all flags, counties, and districts; the Rare Earth High-Tech Zone Administrative Committee; Administrative Committees of all autonomous region high-tech zones; the Municipal Party Committee Organization Department; the Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, Education Bureau, Public Security Bureau, Housing and Urban-Rural Development Bureau, and Science and Technology Bureau; and all universities stationed in Baotou)
(7) Strengthen Research and Development of Key Core Industrial Technologies
Support the High-Tech Zone in strengthening applied basic research focused on emerging industries and distinctive leading industries. Prioritize fields with existing foundations, competitive advantages, and unique characteristics; organize key technology research and development through targeted commissions and “open challenges,” soliciting solutions from both domestic and international sources.Support leading enterprises, research institutes, and universities in the High-Tech Zone to actively engage with the “4+8+N” cooperative entities under the “Science and Technology Revitalization of Inner Mongolia” initiative to conduct cutting-edge and original industrial technology research, using original research outcomes to support major industrial technological breakthroughs. Guide enterprises, research institutes, and universities to actively seek opportunities to undertake various national and autonomous region-level science and technology projects.(Responsible Units: Rare Earth High-Tech Zone Administrative Committee; Administrative Committees of all Autonomous Region High-Tech Zones; Municipal Science and Technology Bureau, Development and Reform Commission, Industry and Information Technology Bureau, and Education Bureau)
(8) Accelerate the Transfer and Commercialization of Scientific and Technological Achievements
Support high-tech zones in applying to establish national and autonomous region-level demonstration zones for the transfer and commercialization of scientific and technological achievements. Build bases for the commercialization of scientific and technological achievements and public pilot-scale testing service platforms; establish management and service systems for such achievements; set up institutions dedicated to their transfer and commercialization; optimize the allocation of resources for technology transfer; and cultivate professional talent such as technology brokers. Explore reforms regarding the ownership of scientific and technological achievements generated during employment, granting researchers ownership or long-term usage rights to such achievements. Implement the “Project to Promote the Transfer and Commercialization of Scientific and Technological Achievements.”Priority support will be given to technology transfer and commercialization activities that can be rapidly industrialized and significantly enhance industrial technological levels and core competitiveness. An angel fund will be established to support enterprises with a solid innovation foundation but weak financing capabilities or limited access to venture capital during the technology commercialization process, enabling them to carry out technology development, pilot testing, and commercialization. (Responsible Units: Municipal Science and Technology Bureau, Education Bureau, Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, Rare Earth High-Tech Zone Administrative Committee, and Administrative Committees of all autonomous region high-tech zones)
IV. Stimulating the Vitality of Enterprise Innovation and Development
(9) Tiered Cultivation and Development of High-Growth Enterprises
High-tech zones shall formulate tiered cultivation plans and support policies for science and technology-based small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), high-tech enterprises, and companies listed on the STAR Market. Efforts shall be made to foster more “specialized, refined, distinctive, and innovative” enterprises, “Science and Technology Little Giants,” and “Specialty Champions,” ensuring that high-tech enterprises and science and technology-based SMEs account for over 30% of the total number of enterprises in the zones.Relevant policies, such as additional tax deductions for R&D expenses, corporate income tax reductions for high-tech enterprises, and inclusive tax reductions for small and micro enterprises, must be fully implemented. Support should be provided for scientific and technical personnel to innovate and start businesses within the high-tech zones by bringing their scientific and technological achievements, incubating and nurturing technology-based startup teams and early-stage enterprises, and vigorously developing technology-based SMEs and high-tech enterprises. Actively attract high-tech enterprises that meet the city’s industrial development needs to establish operations in the zones. Include the cultivation and incubation of high-tech enterprises and technology-based SMEs in the evaluation indicators for the high-quality development of the city’s high-tech zones.(Responsible Units: Municipal Science and Technology Bureau, Finance Bureau, Tax Bureau; Rare Earth High-Tech Zone Administrative Committee; Administrative Committees of all autonomous region high-tech zones)
(10) Strengthen Support for Science and Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship Platforms
Encourage enterprises, universities, and research institutes to establish maker spaces, technology business incubators, and accelerators within the High-Tech Zone, with a focus on supporting the construction of national- and autonomous region-level technology business incubators. Encourage the establishment of specialized maker spaces focused on specific industrial sectors and actively develop new models such as crowd-creation, crowd-sourcing, crowd-support, and crowdfunding. Support the High-Tech Zone in building national- and autonomous region-level “Mass Entrepreneurship and Innovation” demonstration bases, as well as public service demonstration platforms for small and medium-sized enterprises and innovation and entrepreneurship demonstration bases for small and micro-enterprises.Vigorously develop technology service institutions such as technology transfer, testing, inspection, and certification, intellectual property, and technology consulting to enhance specialized innovation service capabilities. (Responsible Units: Municipal Science and Technology Bureau, Development and Reform Commission, Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, Market Regulation Bureau)
(11) Strengthen Science and Technology Financial Services
Improve the market-oriented capital raising mechanism guided by industrial funds and primarily driven by social capital, and direct social capital toward emerging industries in the High-Tech Zone.Encourage financial institutions to innovate financial products, optimize credit processes, and increase credit allocation to high-tech enterprises; support financial institutions in conducting intellectual property and technology achievement pledge financing operations within the High-Tech Zone. Actively attract and develop social capital, such as venture capital funds and private equity funds, to support the development of high-growth and high-tech enterprises. Support high-tech enterprises in listing on stock exchanges and leverage multi-tiered capital markets to accelerate development. (Responsible Units: Municipal Government Financial Affairs Office, Finance Bureau, Science and Technology Bureau)
V. Promoting the Upgrading of Industries to the Mid-to-High End
(12) Strengthening Distinctive Leading Industrial Clusters
We will adhere to the principle of deploying innovation chains around industrial chains and arranging industrial chains around innovation chains, with a focus on filling gaps, extending, and strengthening industrial chains to expand and strengthen high-tech industrial clusters. The Baotou National Rare Earth High-Tech Industrial Development Zone will prioritize the development of industrial clusters in rare earths, non-ferrous metal new materials, equipment manufacturing, new energy, energy conservation and environmental protection, biomedicine, and the digital economy; other high-tech zones should focus on their dominant and distinctive industries, with the goal of fostering and expanding strategic emerging industries, to plan and build industrial clusters.(Responsible Units: Governments of all flags, counties, and districts; Baotou National Rare Earth High-Tech Industrial Development Zone Administrative Committee; Administrative Committees of all autonomous region high-tech zones; Municipal Bureau of Industry and Information Technology; Municipal Science and Technology Bureau; Municipal Development and Reform Commission)
(13) Accelerate the Cultivation of New Economic Models
High-tech zones must accelerate the digital transformation of traditional industries and promote their development toward digitalization, networking, and intelligentization. Support national-level high-tech zones and eligible autonomous regional-level high-tech zones in establishing digital economy demonstration zones. Intensify efforts to introduce and cultivate new economic models such as the digital economy, digital smart spaces, platform economy, intelligent economy, and sharing economy, while proactively planning for strategic emerging industries.Support High-Tech Zones in building demonstration scenarios that showcase the characteristics of their leading industries and significant innovation achievements. Intensify efforts to develop application scenarios in areas such as digital agriculture and animal husbandry, industrial digitization, smart energy, smart logistics, digital trade, intelligent connected vehicles, smart cultural tourism, and blockchain services, and create a batch of industrial application demonstration scenarios. Support High-Tech Zones in exploring inclusive and prudent market access and industry regulatory models for emerging industries, and foster a policy environment conducive to the development of emerging industries.(Responsible Units: Municipal Bureau of Industry and Information Technology, Municipal Science and Technology Bureau, Municipal Development and Reform Commission, Municipal Commerce Bureau, Rare Earth High-Tech Zone Administrative Committee, and Administrative Committees of all autonomous region high-tech zones)
(14) Deepen the Development of Green and Ecological High-Tech Zones
Support high-tech zones in establishing national ecological industrial demonstration zones and strictly control the entry of high-energy-consumption and high-emission enterprises. Strengthen land use guarantees for infrastructure construction and public supporting services in high-tech zones. Guide high-tech zones to strengthen overall control over the intensity of construction land development and utilization, investment intensity, and per capita land use indicators, promoting spatial agglomeration and intensive land use within the zones. Support high-tech zones in constructing talent apartments for ownership or rental purposes in accordance with the principle of work-life balance.Actively promote green and low-carbon lifestyles and production methods, and strengthen the construction of green municipal infrastructure. Enhance network infrastructure support, prioritize the deployment of “new infrastructure” projects in high-tech zones, achieve full 5G network coverage as a pilot initiative, and build smart parks. Advance the integrated development of industry and urban areas, support high-tech zones in improving public service facilities such as research, education, healthcare, and culture, and foster an innovation and entrepreneurship environment characterized by excellent industrial, cultural, and environmental ecosystems.(Responsible Units: Governments of all flags, counties, and districts; the Rare Earth High-Tech Zone Administrative Committee; administrative committees of all autonomous region high-tech zones; the Municipal Bureau of Natural Resources, Bureau of Ecology and Environment, Bureau of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, and Bureau of Science and Technology)
VI. Promoting Cross-Regional Cooperation and Innovation
(15) Deepen Opening-up and International Cooperation
High-tech zones must enhance their awareness of openness, deeply integrate into the joint construction of the “Belt and Road” initiative and the China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor, and strengthen exchanges of scientific and technological talent, international scientific and technological cooperation, and the layout of cross-border industrial chains.Actively attract high-level domestic and international universities and research institutions to establish branches in our city, establish long-term scientific and technological cooperative relationships with universities and research institutions, and jointly build innovation platforms such as laboratories (research centers), technology transfer centers, international academic and technological exchange centers, and international innovation centers. Make full use of existing space to construct technology transfer and transformation bases.Strengthen cooperation and exchanges with advanced regions such as Beijing and Shanghai to jointly build “science and technology innovation outposts.” Establish public service platforms for the transfer and commercialization of research outcomes, industrial exchange and exhibition, the recruitment and cultivation of high-end talent, and off-site incubation. Attract high-quality science and technology resources from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tsinghua University, Peking University, and Zhongguancun to our city, creating a new gateway for the introduction of innovation resources from the autonomous region and Baotou City.(Responsible Units: Municipal Bureau of Commerce, Municipal Bureau of Science and Technology, Municipal Government Foreign Affairs Office, governments of all flags, counties, and districts, Baotou Rare Earth High-Tech Zone Administrative Committee, and administrative committees of all autonomous region high-tech zones)
VII. Deepening Institutional and Mechanism Reforms in High-Tech Zones
(16) Granting Full Delegation of Authority to the High-Tech Zone
Advance the streamlining of administration and delegation of powers by establishing a system of authorized item lists to grant the High-Tech Zone greater autonomy; establish direct communication channels between national-level High-Tech Zones and relevant autonomous regional departments, as well as between autonomous regional High-Tech Zones and relevant municipal departments. Establish a fiscal budget management and independent accounting mechanism for the High-Tech Zone, incorporating it into fiscal budget management at all levels to effectively ensure funding for development and construction. Grant the High-Tech Zone management functions and administrative approval authority in areas such as project approval, housing and urban-rural development, law enforcement, and ecological environment.(Responsible Units: Governments of all flags, counties, and districts; the Rare Earth High-Tech Zone Administrative Committee; administrative committees of all autonomous region-level high-tech zones; and relevant municipal departments)
(17) Optimizing Organizational Structure and Staffing
Establish an independently operated, streamlined, and efficient High-Tech Zone Administrative Committee. Select personnel with professional backgrounds and management experience to undertake administrative duties, strengthen service awareness, enhance service capabilities, and implement total headcount control. High-Tech Zones should explore reforms to the cadre and personnel system, implementing a comprehensive appointment system and a performance-based evaluation and distribution system. Break down status barriers by implementing status suspension and a dual-track operation system to form a dynamic, incentive-driven, and healthy personnel management mechanism.(Responsible Units: Governments of all flags, counties, and districts; Rare Earth High-Tech Zone Management Committee; Management Committees of all Autonomous Region High-Tech Zones; Municipal Party Committee Organization Department; Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau)
(18) Encourage Market-Oriented Operations
High-tech zones are encouraged to implement a market-oriented institutional reform under the “Management Committee + Company” model and to collaborate with market-oriented entities engaged in investment promotion, investment operations, and management services. Private capital is encouraged to participate in infrastructure construction and the provision of public services within high-tech zones. Private capital is also encouraged to invest in the construction and operation of specialized industrial parks within high-tech zones, and to actively explore cooperative development models for industrial parks. (Responsible Units: Governments of relevant flags, counties, and districts; Management Committee of the Rare Earth High-Tech Zone; Management Committees of autonomous region high-tech zones; relevant municipal departments)
(19) Deepen Reforms in Streamlining Administration, Delegating Powers, and Improving Services
Vigorously promote full-process reform of enterprise investment project approvals. Implement a new management model of “construction first, inspection later” for investment and construction projects, along with management approaches such as the “acceptance with missing documents” system and the “notification and commitment” system. Reduce unnecessary administrative intervention and approval/filing requirements to improve the efficiency of construction project approvals. Further deepen commercial system reforms, relax market access, simplify approval procedures, strengthen in-process and post-event supervision as well as credit-based regulation, and promote simplified business deregistration.Innovate inclusive and prudent regulation, continuously foster a market-oriented, law-based, and international business environment, and promote greater development of new technologies, new industries, new business models, and new forms of business. (Responsible Units: Municipal Development and Reform Commission, Market Regulation Bureau, Science and Technology Bureau, Housing and Urban-Rural Development Bureau, Natural Resources Bureau, Commerce Bureau, Administrative Approval Service Bureau; governments of relevant flags, counties, and districts; Rare Earth High-Tech Zone Management Committee; and management committees of autonomous region high-tech zones)
VIII. Strengthening Organizational Management of High-Tech Zones
(20) Strengthen Organizational Leadership
The Baotou Municipal People’s Government will treat the High-Tech Zone as a key vehicle for implementing the innovation-driven development strategy. The governments of all relevant flags, counties, and districts must earnestly assume primary responsibility for the construction of the High-Tech Zone and strengthen the coordination of planning, construction, industrial development, and the allocation of innovation resources within the zone. Efforts will be made to strengthen the composition of the High-Tech Zone’s leadership team and the development of its cadre force, provide the High-Tech Zone with adequate policy support in areas such as finance and land use, and establish a long-term mechanism for stable fiscal support for the High-Tech Zone’s development.Increase support for the High-Tech Zone in areas such as investment promotion, industrial cultivation, innovation and entrepreneurship, and talent recruitment. All flags, counties, and districts, the Rare Earth High-Tech Zone, and relevant departments shall strengthen guidance on the planning, construction, and industrial development of the High-Tech Zone; coordinate resources at all levels and of all types; and provide stable support for the High-Tech Zone to build science and technology innovation platforms, cultivate and attract science and technology innovation talent, carry out the transformation of scientific and technological achievements, and foster new drivers of development, thereby promoting the high-quality development of the High-Tech Zone.(Responsible Units: Governments of all flags, counties, and districts; the Rare Earth High-Tech Zone Administrative Committee; administrative committees of all autonomous region high-tech zones; and relevant municipal departments)
(21) Strengthen Evaluation and Management of High-Tech Zones
In accordance with the high-quality development evaluation indicators for national-level and autonomous region-level high-tech zones, we will urge all high-tech zones to properly carry out related assessment and evaluation work.High-tech zones that rank highly in national and autonomous region evaluations shall be publicly commended and provided with support; those with poor evaluation results shall be urged to rectify issues within a specified timeframe. Concurrently, the results of national and autonomous region evaluations shall be reported to the Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government, with copies sent to the Municipal Party Committee Organization Department. (Responsible Units: Municipal Science and Technology Bureau, Industry and Information Technology Bureau, Finance Bureau, Statistics Bureau; governments of all flags, counties, and districts; Rare Earth High-Tech Zone Administrative Committee; and administrative committees of all autonomous region high-tech zones)
August 26, 2022
(This document is publicly released)
