The third phase construction of the Xi'an New and High-tech Development Zone, the largest scientific center in western China, has commenced recently.

A total of 7 billion yuan has been used for the zone's infrastructure projects over the past decade. In the first and second phases, a 12-square-kilometer area has been dotted with foreign-funded enterprises. The third phase, covering 13 square kilometers, is comprised of an electronic park, a software park, a high-tech export park and a pharmaceutical park.

A leading official with the development zone predicted its gross income of industry and commerce will climb to 60 billion yuan, the industrial output value to 40 billion yuan and the export value to 200 million US dollars by 2005.

The annual income of industry and commerce is expected to reach 120 billion yuan by 2010, the industrial output value will rise to 10 billion yuan and the export to 10 billion US dollars.