Journal of Studies in Social Sciences

ISSN 2201-4624

Volume 11, Number 1, 2015, 20-28

Introduction to the Construction of Five Zigong

Xianjun Tan
International Cooperation and Exchange Office, Sichuan University of Science and Engineering, Zigong,

China 643000

Abstract. Zigong is a city located in the southwest of People’s Republic of China. In the year of 2011, the

development goal of constructing Five Zigong was put forward by the local authority. Five Zigong is

associated with five aspects, including industry, ecology, culture, innovation and happiness. This paper

probes into the construction of Five Zigong. It aims to let people all over the world to know more about

the present situation of Zigong, especially the construction of Five Zigong.

Key words: Zigong; Industry; Ecology; Culture; Innovation; Happiness.

© Copyright 2015 the authors. 20

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1. Zigong

Zigong is located in the south of Sichuan Province of People’s Republic of China. It

covers an area of 4,372.6 km2. The registered population of Zigong is 3.29 million at the

end of year of 2013. It has the reputation as the Salt City of More than Two Thousand

Years, Hometown of Dinosaur, and Lantern City of Southern China. It is one of the 23

earliest designated cities of Republic of China. At present, Zigong is composed of four

districts (Ziliujing, Gongjing, Da’an and Yantan) and two counties (Fushun county and

Rong county). On December 8th of 1986, Zigong was confirmed as the state-list famous

historical and cultural city by the State Council of People’s Republic China. In February

of 2008, Zigong was approved by the United Nations Educational Scientific and

Cultural Organization to establish world geological park. The world geological park of

Zigong is composed of three parts, including Dinosaur Park, Salt Park and Spinulose

Tree Fern Park. Zigong National High Technology Industrial Development Zone is one

of the four national level high technology zones in Sichuan Province.

2. Five Zigong

In the year of 2011, the development goal of constructing Five Zigong was put forward

by the municipal party secretary of Zigong Lei Hongjin. Mr. Lei Hongjin pointed out in

his work report that the development goal for the following five years is to construct

Industrial Zigong which is of obvious advantages, Ecological Zigong which is beautiful

and pleasant, Cultural Zigong which is of distinctive characteristics, Innovative Zigong

22 Journal of Studies in Social Sciences

which is dynamic and Happy Zigong which is prosperous and harmonious(Xiaoluo Hu,

2012).

2.1 Industrial Zigong

Mr. Lei Hongjin pointed out that if there were no industrial support for the

development of Zigong, the city would be a mere skeleton. Three leading industries of

Zigong, including mechanical equipment manufacturing, salt & salt chemical industry

and new material, rise abruptly and become the engine for the industrial recovery of

Zigong.

In terms of mechanical equipment manufacturing, Zigong has some key enterprises,

including Dongfang Boiler Group Company, Ltd; Sichuan Changzheng Machine Tool

Group Company, Ltd; China Western Power Industrial Company, Ltd; Sichuan CRUN l

Company, Ltd; Sichuan Zigong Conveying Machine Group Company, Ltd; Zigong

Daye High Pressure Container Company, Ltd, etc. Some products, such as power

station boiler, special boiler, compressed natural gas equipments, have a leading market

share in the industry.

In terms of salt & salt chemical industry, Zigong has a clear development direction. First,

the industry chain (salt-basic chemical engineering-industry of fine chemicals-silicon

and fluorine chemical industry-after processing products) should be further developed.

Second, the characteristic chlorine alkali industry chain (bittern-alkali-chlorine-high

value-added organic substances containing chlorine-polyphenylene sulfide) should be

 Journal of Studies in Social Sciences 23

cultivated and expanded. At present, Chemical Industry Zhonghao Chenguang

Research Institute, China Rubber Group Carbon Black Research & Design Institute and

Zigong Light Industry Design and Research Institute are among top institutes in China

and Sichuan University of Science and Engineering is the only engineering college in

southern Sichuan, These institutes and university provide talent and technical support

for the industry development of Zigong. National Salt Chemical Products Quality

Supervision and Inspection Center is located in the Zigong National High Technology

Industrial Development Zone (Xiaoming Dai, 2009). The center plays an important role

in promoting the core competitiveness of salt chemical industry, speeding up the

industrial upgrading.

In terms of new material, there are seven types of new material products in Zigong,

including high performance metal materials, new organic polymer synthetic material,

advanced inorganic non-metallic materials, new textile materials, new fine chemical

material, biomedical material, other new material and products. Zigong was approved

by the Ministry of Science and Technology of China as National New Material

Industrialization Base at the end of 2007. At the same year, Zigong was approved by the

Ministry of Commerce of China and the Ministry of Science and Technology of China as

National Rejuvenating Trade through Science and Technology Innovation Base (new

material).Zigong is boosting the development of six new material industrial clusters,

including metal new material industrial cluster, polymer synthetic material industrial

cluster, new carbon materials industrial cluster, fine chemical material industrial cluster,
24 Journal of Studies in Social Sciences

salt chemical new material industrial cluster, high performance fiber composite material

industrial cluster. There are some key enterprises in this field, including Zigong

Cemented Carbide Company, Ltd; Sichuan Atlantic welding material Company, Ltd;

Chemical Industry Zhonghao Chenguang Research Institute, Haohua Honghe Chemical

Company, Ltd; China Rubber Group Carbon Black Research & Design Institute ;

Sichuan Institute of Fine Chemical Industry Research and Design ; Sichuan Jiuda Salt

(group) Company, Ltd; Sichuan Phaeton Corporation, etc.

2.2 Ecological Zigong

Constructing ecological Zigong is a major initiative to implement the Scientific Outlook

on Development and construct ecological civilization, a pressing need of transforming

the development mode and solving the problem of resource restraint, an inevitable

requirement of optimizing habitat environment and raising the living standard of urban

and rural residents. In order to improve the ecological environment quality, there are

following targets. First, the major pollutants should be controlled effectively. For

example, the sulfur dioxide emission should be within 28,600 ton. Second,

environmental quality should be improved notably. For example, the number of days of

good air quality should be more than 336. Third, environmental protection

infrastructure should be improved For example, sewage concentration rate in the city

proper should be above 95% and hazard-free treatment rate of household garbage in the

city proper should be 100%. Fourth, urban and rural greening should be improved For
 Journal of Studies in Social Sciences 25

example, forest coverage rate should be 35% and greening coverage in the city should

be above 40%.

2.3 Cultural Zigong

Mr. Lei Hongjin pointed out that without culture, a city has no soul and it will not make

its people feel happy and meaningful. Zigong has some distinctive cultural

characteristics. For example, it has the reputation as the Salt City of More than Two

Thousand Years, Hometown of Dinosaur, and Lantern City of Southern China. In

addition to the previous reputation, there are four more name cards for Zigong,

including a member of the global geological parks network, national famous historical

and cultural city, Chinese outstanding tourism city and the hometown of Chinese folk

art.

In terms of salt, Zigong is the production center of well salt since the middle of Qing

Dynasty (A.D. 1616-1912). Salt history museum of Zigong was founded in 1959. At

present, it is the only salt history museum in China. Its basic function includes

collecting, researching and displaying of historical relics of well salt.

In terms of dinosaur, dinosaur fossil in Zigong provides abundant and crucial original

material for exploring the evolution of dinosaurs in the world.

In terms of lantern, Zigong Lantern Show has been displayed more than 200 times in 40

countries and regions like America, Germany, Canada, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia,

South Korea and Japan etc (Xianjun Tan, 2014).

26 Journal of Studies in Social Sciences

2.4 Innovative Zigong

Mr. Lei Hongjin pointed out that the key of innovation is to let people fulfill their

potential, which can keep the city young and energetic. Innovation sustains the progress

of a nation, is inexhaustible source of the development of the society. As an old

industrial city, Zigong is applying innovation to a broad field, including economics,

trade and technology, etc.

For example, in terms of government management innovation, Zigong government

affairs service center is reducing the items requiring administrative approval, the

procedures requiring administrative approval, the days requiring administrative

approval and the cost concerning administrative approval.

In terms of scientific and technological innovation, National High Technology Industrial

Development Zone is a role model. This zone is building a lot of public service facilities,

including science and technology incubator, enterprise accelerator and Innovation Park,

etc. This zone is also bringing in science and research institutes. The characteristic

industries in this zone include: energy conservation and environment protection

industry, equipment manufacturing industry, new material industry, electronic

information industry and biological medicine industry.

2.5 Happy Zigong

Mr. Lei Hongjin pointed out that core interest of the people is the fundamental startintg
 Journal of Studies in Social Sciences 27

point and final goal of city development and the happiness of people should be

improved. The development of a city is for its people. Zigong emphasizing on the

construction of industry, ecology, culture and innovation is to make its more than 3

million citizens enjoy more happiness.

In order to construct happy Zigong, there are five theme activities (Wen Su, 2012). The

first theme is Universal Fraternity and Happy Life, including helping the people in need,

safeguarding rights and interest of women and children, etc. The second theme is Be

Healthy and Be Happy, including guiding people to a healthy life style and life

philosophy. The third theme is Safety and Harmony, including cracking down crimes,

keeping smooth road, supervising food and drug safety, etc. The fourth theme is

Experiencing Happiness and Experiencing Joy, including watching for happiness in the

communities, holding collective wedding ceremony, etc. The fifth theme is Cultivating

Cell and Enjoying Happiness Together, including electing the most beautiful teacher,

electing happy villages, electing happy communities, etc.

3. Conclusion

Zigong is a central city in the south of Sichuan province of China. At present, Chengdu

and Chongqing economic circle is an area in the west of China, which has the densest

population, the most concentrated industries, and the highest urban density. Zigong is a

central city in the south of Chengdu and Chongqing economic circle. The effort of local

authority of Zigong centers on improving the quality and efficiency of economic

28 Journal of Studies in Social Sciences

development, promoting the transformation and upgrading and boosting the

construction of Five Zigong (Xi Chen, 2014). Zigong is moving forward steadily to be a

central city with distinctive characteristics.

Acknowledgments

The research is financed by Research Project of Education Department of Sichuan

Province. (Item number: 14SB0128)

References

[1] Wen Su, Happy Zigong: Five Theme Activities. Sichuan Economic Daily, November 2, 2012

[2] Xi Chen, Boosting the Construction of Five Zigong at a Higher Level, Sichuan Economic Daily, January 13,

2014

[3] Xianjun Tan, Analysis of Present Situation of Zigong, International Review of Social Sciences and

Humanities, Vol.7, 2014:144-150

[4] Xiaoluo Hu, Five Zigong: Constructing a Central City in the South of Chengdu and Chongqing Economic

Zone, West China City Daily, February 17, 2012

[5] Xiaoming Dai, National Salt Chemical Products Quality Supervision and Inspection Center to Be Settled in

Zigong, Sichuan Daily, November 3, 2009