Shiguai district of Baotou, Inner Mongolia autonomous region, won an award for its contribution to technological innovation at the 2016 Euro-China Green & Smart City Summit, reports Baotou Daily.

It is the only district in the autonomous region that has won the award for two consecutive years.

Top officials from the European Union, international organizations, and government bodies of China attend the 2016 Euro-China Green & Smart City Summit taking place in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, on Dec 10, 2016. [Photo/china.com]

Being the cradle of industry in the autonomous region, Shiguai district strives for transformation and development and has adopted environmentally-friendly development plans over the past few years. Large-scale projects concerning environmental improvements and developing the district into a smart district have been carried out, including a logistics park project and a cultural tourism industrial park project.

A total of 600 million yuan ($86 million) has been spent on key forestry and green coverage projects, and 120 million yuan has been invested in improving the environment of mines over the past five years by the district government.

Thanks to the efforts put into environmental protection, tourism in the district has seen a breakthrough as the most well-known tourist attraction in the district –– the Wudang Lamasery –– is on its way to becoming a national 5A-level scenic area. The lamasery has already passed the preliminary assessment conducted by the National Tourism Administration. Wudang Lamasery has attracted investment of more than 300 million yuan over the past two years. Now the scenic area boasts infrastructure including tourist centers, roads, parking lots and plazas.

Also, the district will host an AKOYA amphibious skiplane project and a film and television base in the near future.

To better facilitate the district’s goal of developing itself into a smart district, Shiguai district has applied the latest communication technologies to areas including public transportation, government administration and public services. A big data industrial park measuring 100,000 square meters has been set up in the district.

The Euro-China Green & Smart City Awards are granted to 40 Chinese and European local communities for their initiatives aimed at building a sustainable city each year with the permission of the European Commission. The awards ceremony takes place during an exclusive gala dinner gathering political figures, entrepreneurs, and Chinese and European experts (by invitation only).

Jean-Pierre Raffarin, former French prime minister and chairman of the Foundation Prospective et Innovation, addresses the 2016 Euro-China Green & Smart City Summit, Dec 10, 2016. [Photo/china.com]

A total of 12 Chinese cities and businesses, and 22 European cities and businesses won the 2016 Euro-China Green & Smart City Awards, Dec 10, 2016. [Photo/china.com]