From such perspectives as education, healthcare and employment, Weifang Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone is sparing no effort to improve people's well-being, allowing residents to enjoy the fruits of its high-quality development.

The high-tech industrial zone practices a people-centered development concept. Ensuring and improving people's livelihoods is its top priority, striving to meet people's aspirations for a better life while pursuing high-quality economic development, according to local officials.

Adhering to social progress, the high-tech industrial zone has taken the development of education as a major livelihood project. Over the past 10 years, the zone has invested enormous sums to build quality schools that will last for hundreds of years to come, according to the local government.

Regarding teachers as the foundation of education, the high-tech zone has built up a team of qualified professionals with efforts made in expanding teacher recruitment and improving its incentive mechanism.

This year, Weifang Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone joined hands with electroacoustic components manufacturer Goertek to contribute 8.8 million yuan ($1.37 million) in rewards for outstanding teachers.

In 2020, the high-tech zone recruited a total of 300 teachers, among whom graduates with master's degrees accounted for 68 percent, creating a record high.

Over the past nine years, the high-tech zone has established 47 primary and secondary schools and kindergartens, and has recruited 1,800 high-level teachers, according to the local government.

With efforts made in deepening the reform of medical insurance and integrating medical and eldercare services, the high-tech zone has achieved a sound medical care system for residents.

Over the past 10 years, the high-tech zone has built three grade-A hospitals; increased hospital beds by nearly 8,000; and added more than 7,500 medical staff members, including more than 500 noted doctors and experts.

A maternal and child care service center with an investment of 1 billion yuan will be put into use at the end of this year. It is expected to bring a new medical experience to women and children in Weifang with first-class technical services, diagnosis and treatment environment, marking another milestone in medical and health development at the high-tech zone.

From January to August, the high-tech zone created 6,114 urban jobs and achieved an overall employment rate of college graduates of more than 92 percent.

To promote local employment, the high-tech zone has used a series of measures, including subsidized vocational training and recruitment promotion activities.

According to the high-tech zone, it offered vocational training to 4,125 people in the first eight months of this year.

Meanwhile, the zone holds regular recruitment promotion events. They cover multiple aspects, including college students' views on employment, the promotion of quality positions and vocational practice. It has helped college graduates to get jobs and enterprises to recruit quality candidates.

In addition, innovation and entrepreneurship competitions are held by the high-tech zone, aiming to stimulate innovation and create a better business climate for entrepreneurs.

Living allowances are provided to qualified graduates with a bachelor's degree or above who work in the high-tech zone.

Since the beginning of this year, a total of 54.14 million yuan in living allowances has been granted, benefiting more than 5,552 college graduates across 335 enterprises.

Weifang Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone is also committed to meeting the spiritual and cultural needs of its people, with a string of cultural projects launched.

Cooperating with enterprises, the high-tech zone invested a total of 6.5 million yuan to build a 1,000-square-meter library with 45,000 books. The number of books borrowed in the first nine months this year reached 20,000.

The high-tech zone has established five street cultural stations and 34 community cultural service centers, all of which are open to the public free of charge and provide things such as books, internet access, dance rehearsals and chess.

So far this year, more than 600 regular cultural activities, including artistic performances in communities and square dancing competitions, have been held and proved popular with the people.

A staff member installs a road sign indicating a rest station for outdoor workers in Weifang Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone. CHINA DAILY

The administration of the high-tech zone is committed to providing quality education for residents. CHINA DAILY