Beijing, August 27 (KCNA) -- Northeast China has positively developed its economy to suit its characteristics.

The new collective leadership of China set forth a strategy on developing old industrial centers in the northeastern region, as required by the reality in which a modernization drive is now making rapid progress.

The country set up a guidance team and office for promoting old industrial centers in the northeastern region under the State Council and has comprehensively implemented the strategy since April 2004.

The department concerned of the State Council organized seminars for economic development in the region while taking measures to send officials of various provinces to the region for rendering help in economic development.

As a result, the technological updating of industrial establishments is making rapid progress and new industrial centre is now under construction in the region.

Efforts are being channeled into the infrastructural construction.

Express highways extending to different directions including those between Chaoyang and Chifeng, Fushun and Meihekou and Tonghua and Fushun were opened to traffic thanks to mutual cooperation in provinces and autonomous regions in the region from last year to the present.

At least 1 300 km-long express highway, in particular, including the motorway between Jilin and Yanji were built in Jilin Province in the period of the 11th five-year plan.

The rapid transit railway project of 250 km/h linking Changchun and Jilin cities was completed and opened to traffic in the province in January this year. This 111 km-long railway is the first rapid transit railway in the region.

Besides, a lot of wharves were built at ports along the coast to markedly increase cargo transport. At present the volume of cargo transport per year reached more than a hundred million tons at Dalian and Yingkou ports.

Leading officials of four provinces and autonomous region in Northeast China held a meeting in Changchun on July 26 and agreed to further develop the strategic emerging industry in the region by boosting cooperation between provinces and autonomous region.

According to this agreement, measures are being taken to strengthen cooperation in the fields including IT industry, new material development, auto industry and equipment manufacture.