As an independent innovation demonstration area, a pilot area for innovative reform and a function zone of the China (Shaanxi) test free trade zone, the Xi'an Hi-tech Industries Development Zone of Shaanxi province will support technological innovation through financial projects and services.

The XHTZ has been encouraging financial institutions to strengthen creativity and improve the local investment environment by promoting the integration of finance, technology and industry for 26 years.

Banks in Xi'an will increase credit extensions valued at 5 million yuan ($735,000) to provide financial support to companies in 2017.

One beneficiary, Xi'an Ritrontek Science and Technology, is working on a design for embedded processor modules and application products, located in the XHTZ. The company received a loan and signed agreements for investment and loan linkage recently.

The investment and loan linking mechanism is a joint loan mode, combining equity investment and bank credit by working with the administrative committees of five national high-tech zones to build up its client bases, risk compensation and information-sharing systems.

It aims to encourage banks to provide sustainable finance to technological companies and innovative startups through lending and allowing banks' qualified subsidiaries to make equity investments in them.

As one of five pilot zones, the XHTZ has seen 17 companies sign cooperative agreements with Bank of Xi'an, China Development Bank's Shaanxi branch and Bank of China's Shaanxi branch, with loans totaling 211 million yuan and investments totaling 132 million yuan, according to local officials.

The investment and loan link is only one means of supporting technological development. The XHTZ also seeks other creative modes of cooperation.

Selected as Shaanxi's first Credit System Construction Demonstration Zone, the XHTZ continues to provide communication platforms online and offline for its innovative enterprises and Chinese investors through the Xi'an Technology Resources Market, Shaanxi Equity Exchange, Shenzhen Stock Exchange and other financial service organizations.

Since the credit financial services platform of the XHTZ opened in January 2014, a total of 337 financial institutions have registered and 316 financial products have been published through it.

In 2016, companies could use the platform to apply for preferential policies of the XHTZ. The administration will audit and accept applications online.

To ensure the disclosure of companies' credit information in a legitimate way, the XHTZ has developed a three-level query system.

To date, the platform has collected registration information on Shaanxi's 2 million commercial subjects and credit information on 15,000 companies in the XHTZ.

Based on the credit information of the platform, many banks cooperate with other platforms to launch online credit financing products. For example, PingAn Bank published Credit Service Product 1.0, providing 244 small and medium-sized enterprises with unsecured loans totalling 611 million yuan.

To date, the XHTZ has established 1,200 financial service institutions and trading platforms, including financial regulators such as the People's Bank of China Xi'an branch, China Banking Regulatory Commission Shaanxi Office and 61 national or regional financial institutions.

caoyingying@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 06/08/2017 page15)