A development plan for the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region that considers innovation the core driver of the regional economic growth will be released soon, Economic Information Daily reported.

In 2017, the mega-region is expected to experience a large improvement in its regional collaborative innovation capacity and the efficiency of its patent commercialization. In 2020, its science investment and R&D expenditure will account for 3.5 percent of the cluster's total GDP, according to the report.

Development of two national innovation demonstration zones in Zhongguancun, Beijing, and Binhai New Area in Tianjin will explore new management and operation models and enhance their leading role in intellectual property creation for surrounding areas.

Zhu Erjuan, a professor at the Capital University of Economics and Business, said that innovation and creativity have become decisive factors in economic development and international competitiveness in the era of globalization and the knowledge economy.

In the post-financial crisis period, many developed countries stressed the need to break through industrial and regional boundaries to build innovative communities that could maximize the integration of IP resources across the country or even the globe, to maintain status as world leaders in science and technology innovation, she said.

For example, the European Union established the European Institute of Innovation and Technology in March 2008 to "address Europe's innovation gap" and integrate innovation, research and growth across the EU, according to the institute's website.

"Development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei integration has been upgraded to a national strategy and collaborative innovation is the only way to make it a success, which covers innovation in products, technologies, management and mechanisms," Zhu told Economic Information Daily.

The development plan will identify specific duties of the three regions in building a collaborative innovation community.

Beijing, the center of the cluster, will focus on promoting original innovation and technical service capabilities, and creating headquarters for innovation bases and core scientific achievement trading areas, as well as a high-end global innovation center and a talent pool.

Tianjin, one of China's four municipalities, will improve its capacities in application of engineering technologies, build an advanced modern manufacturing industry research and development base and an innovation demonstration zone for small- and mid-sized enterprises.

Hebei province will strengthen its innovative technology applications and promotion, adjust its industrial structure and upgrade important industrial zones.

Environmental protection, upgrades of traditional industries and strategic emerging industries will be key innovations, which include joint research and integrated application of key technologies such as air pollution control, green transportation, clean energy and production.

Baoding city in Hebei has already initiated projects for the collaborative innovation. Ma Yufeng, the city mayor, said the local government would build a large talent pool in Baoding.

Huang Xinguo, mayor of Tianjin, said it would create a social environment that benefits start-ups and encourage innovation to support economic transformation and upgrades.

The Beijing Innovation Alliance will also set up a working committee for the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region collaborative innovation with the support of its nearly 6,000 innovation members, according to the Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission.

Huang Ping, secretary-general of the alliance, said they will establish a "3+1" collaborative innovation system this year, which stands for three major functions, namely joint innovation, business incubation and demonstration promotion, and a channel that provides technology support and services for crossover cooperation.

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(China Daily 04/15/2015 page17)