To commemorate Premier Wen Jiabao's ringing the closing bell at the NYSE:
'China's Wall Street' to be completed by 2008
Beijing <http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/data/province/beijing.html> Financial Street, which aims to be "China's Wall Street", should be finally completed by 2008, the development company said Wednesday.
Liu Shichun, general manager of the Financial Street Holding Company, said a total of 10 billion yuan (1.2 billion dollars) would be invested in construction in the next three years.
The project would be "basically completed" by 2005, he said, noting the street would become a key link between Chinese and international economies.
Addressing an international symposium on development of the Beijing Financial Street, Liu said the street would embrace "four themes" -- globalization, ecology catering to human living, vigor, and financial culture.
Apart from commercial buildings, the street was projected to include five-star hotels, clubs for financial personnel and an international convention center, as well as catering, physical fitness and leisure areas, and a central park.
"We will build a vigorous financial city with exotic charms, providing round-the-clock business services," Liu said.
Since construction was launched a decade ago, the Financial Street Holding Company had developed two million square meters of land, with a total investment of 14 billion yuan.
Altogether 530 financial institutions and well-known enterprises had moved to the street, making it a central financial area in the Chinese capital.
Another source said the local government had established a special office to formulate and supervise the implementation of preferential policies supporting the street's development.
*People's Daily Online --- http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/*