Luohu to become a better place to work and live in: Officials

Led by Liu Zhiyong, head of the Luohu government, officials from the district's education, public health, city management and law enforcement, urban renovation and land bureaus accepted an interview by Shenzhen radio station on Oct. 20 under the Bridge to the People program.

The officials answered questions on Luohu's reform and future development from the radio hosts as well as the listeners.

Liu Zhiyong said that Luohu was the first district founded in the city, the starting point of the city's reform, and should continue to serve as a pioneer in future city reforms.

Liu said that Luohu was trying its best to build itself into a demonstration zone for coordinated development of Shenzhen and Hong Kong, and a cluster zone of innovative development of the life-related and health industries, a financial and commercial center and a center to experience global consumption through big strategy, big planning, big regional development, big construction, big developments and big strides.

Over the past 40 years, Luohu had created many records in developing into a modern urban area with vitality. It had created many economic and social development wonders, and the people's livelihood had improved tremendously, Liu said.

It had contributed various workable reform plans to the city and beyond, such as in shantytown renovation and medical care. Now was a key moment for the district to deepen its reforms in many crucial areas, he added.

Since 2015, Luohu has invested 23.4 billion yuan (US$3.52 billion) in fixed assets in initiating its urban renovation project, three times as much as its input over the previous decade.

In the forthcoming 10 years, Luohu's fixed asset investment will hit 1 trillion yuan, and key areas include Caiwuwei-Hubei, Sungang-Qingshuihe, Bijiashan River, Shenzhen-Hong Kong port zone economic belt, covering an area of 1,216 hectares, accounting for 35% of the Luohu's built-up area, Liu said.

As required by the Shenzhen municipal government, the transformation of Shenzhen Railway Station and the Luohu Port zone will be accelerated, whereby a network comprising a high-speed railway and five subway lines will be merged. In the future, it will take only 65 minutes to reach Guangzhou downtown from Luohu.

In its old urban area renovation work over the next five years, Luohu will diversify its fundraising channels, further improve its regulations and make the projects more rational and satisfactory to the people, Liu said.

The district will build more government subsidized houses, kindergartens, public schools, parks, cultural, sport and entertainment facilities, and further improve the efficiency of its public health system to address the people's practical concerns.

During the radio program, officials answered 17 questions from listeners, and all of the issues have been assigned to relevant departments for rectification.