The new Sino-German Industrial Service Zone is designed to have a business environment similar to parks in Germany.

Zongshen Industrial Group recently signed an agreement with the government of Foshan to set up a South China Germany Center in the city's Sino-German Industrial Services Zone.

Chongqing-based Zongshen is one of the nation's industrial giants, reported to have close relations with many European companies.

According to the agreement, the center will facilitate cooperation between the Foshan zone and industrial organizations and training agencies in Germany.

"The deal marked a milestone in the zone's development," Foshan Mayor Liu Yuelun told the local media.

With a planned area of 26 square kilometers, the Sino-German zone was founded in 2012.

It was developed to foster industrial services such as R&D and design, test and certification, information sharing, conventions and exhibitions and vocational training.

It is envisioned as a model zone with management standards and a business environment similar to industrial parks in Germany.

According to Xu Ping, deputy director of the zone's administrative committee, the area will take a series of measures to improve its R&D and other public services.

The moves include forging a partnership with Germany's leading R&D institute Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, introducing 20 to 30 R&D teams from home and abroad and establishing a Sino-German enterprise service center.

Xu said the zone will continue to seek cooperation with industrial associations and research institutions in Europe, the US, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan to improve services for the local manufacturing industry.

The cooperation has already led to the establishment of several research sites including the Asia-Europe Economy Research Center, according to Xu.

The zone is now preparing to build a polytechnic school and several other training institutes with possible investment from Canadian and German businesses.

An institute for training multimedia and animation professionals is also planned for the zone with funding from the globally renowned SAE Institute and a local digital media company.

Xu said the zone's officials are also in talks with Germany's Bavarian government and the Federal Association for Economic Development and Foreign Trade, as well as the Asia Dragon Boat Federation, to locate their China or regional headquarters in the zone.

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