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BEIJING, May 8-- China will move faster to boost innovation in its national economic and technological development zones in terms of openness, technology and institution building to raise the quality of economic growth and cultivate new pacesetters in the reform and opening up. The decision was made at a State Council executive meeting chaired by Premier Li Keqiang. The Chinese government puts high importance on the innovation-driven development of the national economic and technological development zones. Premier Li Keqiang required that the demonstrative role of the national economic development zones be fully harnessed for better use of foreign investment and relevant policies consistent with law be rolled out to make these zones pacesetters in attracting foreign investment. Establishing national economic and technological development zones was a major strategic decision China made in the 1980s as part of efforts for wider opening up. With the first zone opened in 1984, 219 such zones have been established so far, focusing on advanced manufacturing and producer services to drive China's urbanization through global cooperation and industrialization. These economic development zones contribute around 10 percent to the national GDP and some 20 percent to the country's foreign trade and foreign investment. "There is still much untapped potential in these national zones. We must see that their industrial and institutional advantages formed over the years are fully leveraged to nurture new drivers of economic growth." Li said. | 
