Xi'an hi-tech zone accelerates new growth engines with 4 national-level priorities

On the morning of February 4, the Xi'an Hi-tech Industries Development Zone held a press conference to brief the media on its concrete measures and solid progress in cultivating new growth sectors.

Leveraging strong foundations in economy, technology, and trade, Xi'an Hi-tech Zone has launched eight emerging sectors. Four, including high-performance integrated circuits, are now national key priorities. The zone will introduce three-year plans and supporting policies to accelerate new productive forces and advance toward becoming a world-leading tech park.

Growth powered by economy, technology, industry and trade

The press conference highlighted that since the 14th Five-Year Plan (2020-25) period, Xi'an Hi-tech Zone has focused on high-tech development and industrialization. Its total industrial output of enterprises above a designated size grew from 203.5 billion ($29.32 billion) to 421.1 billion yuan, with an average annual increase of 15 percent. The zone has ranked among China’s top 10 high-quality development parks for three consecutive years and was ranked 5th in the 2024 national high-tech zone evaluation, laying a strong foundation for new growth sectors.

Technological innovation drives new growth in Xi’an Hi-tech Zone. The zone hosts advanced national technologies such as attosecond lasers and high-precision ground-based timing systems, launched the country's first national platform for new materials, and established 15 national key labs, along with 56 national and 186 provincial innovation platforms, plus 224 new research and development institutions. The zone has cultivated over 6,000 tech small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and high-tech enterprises, including 99 national-level specialized and sophisticated "little giant" firms, steadily expanding its innovation ecosystem.

Step-by-step industrial development lays a strong foundation for new growth sectors. During the 14th Five-Year Plan (2020-25) period, advanced manufacturing output grew by 15.6 percent annually, and the core digital economy surpassed 280 billion yuan. The zone was approved as a provincial pilot for the future photonics industry, hosting 183 companies with output over 20 billion yuan.

A favorable foreign trade environment further supports new growth. Xi’an Hi-tech Zone has accelerated the development of a national SME cooperation zone and a provincial business environment innovation demonstration zone, and successfully established the Xi’an National Processing Trade Industrial Park. During the 14th Five-Year Plan (2020-25) period, foreign trade totaled about 290 billion yuan per year, accounting for over 60 percent of Shaanxi province and 70 percent of Xi’an city, reinforcing its role as a key growth engine.

Eight emerging sectors to receive targeted national support

Xi’an Hi-tech Zone is aligning with national strategies and implementing the MIIT Action Plan for New Tracks in High-Tech Zones, following the "open discovery – regular selection – precise cultivation" approach. It focuses on eight emerging sectors: photonics, advanced semiconductors, nonferrous precision materials, medical-engineering integration, aerospace propulsion, new energy storage, unmanned intelligent systems, and intelligent connected vehicles.

Earlier this year, four emerging sectors – high-performance chips, advanced materials, low-altitude economy, and high-end medical devices – were designated as national priorities, serving as new growth engines for the region. Xi'an Hi-tech Zone plans three-year development programs and supporting policies, targeting 20 percent annual revenue growth for each sector by 2028.

Each key sector has a clear focus. The high-performance chip sector, with companies like Samsung, emphasizes chip design and wafer fabrication for AI and new energy vehicles, building a "three parks + multiple bases" layout for a world-class semiconductor cluster. The advanced materials sector, led by the Northwest Institute for Non-Ferrous Metal Research and Xi'an Bright Laser Technologies Co Ltd, focuses on rare metals and 3D printing materials, structured as "one core + three bases" to create a globally influential specialty cluster.

In the low-altitude economy sector, companies like INNNO Aeronautics Technologies Co Ltd are building a "one core, one center, multiple bases" layout, focusing on emergency response and logistics to create a national hub. In high-end medical devices, the zone targets "medical + 3D printing" "medical + photonics" and "medical + AI", working with leaders like Giant Biogene and Kontour (Xi'an) Medical Technology Co Ltd to build a full-cycle industry hub and speed up technology commercialization.

To ensure the success of the new sectors, Xi'an Hi-tech Zone has introduced five key measures: a dedicated team for each sector to integrate the industrial chain; an annual 100 million yuan fund, a 1 billion yuan guidance fund, and a 10-billion-yuan photonics fund group to boost capital support; optimized land use with new specialty industrial parks; exploration of application scenarios to serve as testing grounds for new technologies; and talent reforms, including a robust evaluation system for hard-tech professionals and the development of multi-level talent teams.

Xi'an Hi-tech Zone will leverage four national priority sectors to drive innovation, support business growth, build innovation ecosystems, and accelerate industrial clusters, boosting productivity for high-quality regional development.