A Rising Hub of High-Tech Power: Lanzhou New Area Presents Its "Sci-Tech Calling Card" to the World

Foreign influencers watch a promotional video at Lanzhou Ion Therapy Co., Ltd. in Lanzhou New Area

On September 17, the "China Travelogue: Lanzhou New Area – A City of Hope and Opportunity" international outreach event was officially launched. Five foreign influencers embarked on an immersive tour of Lanzhou New Area, gaining firsthand insight into the cutting-edge technological prowess of this rising city in Northwest China.

Unveiling a "Heavy" Breakthrough Against Cancer: A Beam of Life-Saving Ions

The delegation's first stop was Lanzhou Ion Therapy Co., Ltd., the birthplace of China's first carbon-ion therapy system with proprietary intellectual property rights. This achievement makes China the fourth country in the world to master heavy-ion cancer treatment technology. By harnessing the "Bragg peak" effect, heavy-ion therapy enables millimeter-level precision in targeting tumors while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue.

Scale Models of Heavy-Ion Accelerators

Looking to the Skies: Lanzhou-made Tanks Propel Rockets into Orbit

Next, the delegation visited Lanzhou Monolithic Space Technology Co., Ltd. By overcoming the challenge of welding dissimilar materials, the company developed China's first aluminum alloy surface-tension propellant tank, cutting costs by 50 percent compared to conventional titanium alloy alternatives.

Thai influencer Ake examines the propellant tank

Fertile Ground for Innovation: The Source of Lanzhou New Area's Tech Prowess

These remarkable achievements stem from the New Area's commitment to cultivating a thriving innovation ecosystem. Lanzhou New Area treats scientific and technological innovation as the primary driver of high-quality development; it is currently home to 150 high-tech enterprises and has implemented 403 R&D projects during the 14th Five-Year Plan period. Notably, R&D expenditure as a percentage of local GDP has exceeded 3.6 percent for five consecutive years.

Influencers listen attentively to the briefing

From heavy-ion medical equipment to domestically developed aerospace tanks, Lanzhou New Area continues to achieve "zero-to-one" technological breakthroughs. Through this visit, the foreign influencers witnessed firsthand how, across the Qinwangchuan plain, innovation is injecting tremendous momentum into the high-quality development of inland Northwest China—presenting a bold new "sci-tech calling card" to the world. (Text/Photo by Xie Qian and Zhao Jian)