Huang Zeyuan, mayor of Zhangye, Gansu province. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Zhangye in Gansu province is known for its extensive grain production. Here, Mayor Huang Zeyuan discusses the area's future:

How does Zhangye transform its agricultural industry?

Agriculture is a competitive industry in Zhangye and we must build on our success, and reduce our reliance on natural resources.

One way of doing this is by branding organic agricultural products. They represent the future of the industry.

After more than 30 years of fast economic growth, Chinese consumers attach more importance to quality than quantity.

In the past, the government told farmers what to plant every year. Now, the main responsibility of the government is to provide farmers with agricultural technology, information and modern infrastructure.

The small farmers' economy model will not survive in the modern market. Zhangye's agriculture must follow the standardization model－from seed breeding to agricultural product control and inspection.

This cannot be done by the farmers alone. The government is doing its part by offering support in land and funding.

So far, with the government's help and new information technology, such as e-commerce, Zhangye's vegetable, beef, millet, corn seed, cattle fodder and fruit sectors have already embarked on this road.

How can the area attract businesses?

An important task of our work is to encourage people to start their own businesses and pursue innovation. This will fuel economic growth and create jobs.

The government now needs to create a favorable market environment for business growth and innovation. New businesses and innovative industries will generate huge amounts of "added-value" in the form of social wealth.

As more people earn their livings by running businesses, or working in innovative industries, the number relying on government welfare will drop. Society, on the whole, will have more vitality.

The Zhangye government will soon unveil a package of pro-business and pro-innovation policies.

They will involve scrapping fees, taxes and industrial park workshop rents.

They will also include subsidized loans, providing loan guarantees and funding staff training within a certain period of time after new businesses are registered in Zhangye.