Recently, Yi Gang, deputy governor of the People's Bank of China (PBOC) and administrator of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE), conducted a field survey in Zhongguancun with his entourage. Zhao Fengtong, member of the Standing Committee of the Beijing Municipal Party Committee, Liu Zhi, deputy secretary general of the Beijing Municipal Government, and Wang Hong, director- general of the Financial Work Bureau of Beijing Municipality, participated in the survey. Yi Gang conducted the field survey in some enterprises in Zhongguancun and held informal discussions with relevant persons-in-change from the Zhongguancun Management Committee and representatives from Zhongguancun enterprises. Guo Hong, director of the Zhongguancun Management Committee, presented an overview of progress in constructing a national independent innovation demonstration zone in Zhongguancun, and proposed policy recommendations on foreign exchange administration, based on the development situation in Zhongguancun.
In 2009, the State Council approved construction of a national independent innovation demonstration zone in Zhongguancun, said Zhao Fengtong. Meanwhile, a number of pilot policy measures were specified for Zhongguancun's development in terms of equity incentives, technological and financial innovations, and so forth. The development of Zhongguancun has received vigorous support from the foreign exchange administration departments for a long time. It is hoped that Zhongguancun will continue to serve as a test field site for foreign exchange administration to support innovative development, and will be allowed to carry out trial operations in the area of foreign exchange administration so as to effectively explore its demonstrative role for other regions nationwide.
Yi Gang expressed congratulations to the Zhongguancun Management Committee for the impressive achievements made in Zhongguancun. He pointed out that armed with effective mechanisms, efficient systems, a tremendous talent pool, and technological advantages Zhongguancun will be able to serve as an important source for national development and innovation. The foreign exchange administration departments will continue to provide vigorous support to Zhongguancun. Yi Gang gave a briefing on the current foreign exchange situation and said that the SAFE will earnestly investigate problems raised by enterprises during this survey and will provide differentiated solutions to address the various issues. In addition to safeguarding the security of the macro-economy and the financial stability of the nation, said the Administrator, based on the actual needs of economic development, the SAFE will constantly reform its mechanisms and systems, innovate administration methods, improve administration approaches, make great efforts to promote the facilitation of trade and investment, and play a greater role to meet the needs of national economic development.