POWERED BY CLEANER COAL: The Ningdong Energy and Chemical Industry Base is expected to deliver a powerful, environmentally-friendly boost to the economy of Ningxia (WANG LEI)

As a prospering economic boom region, Ningxia is well positioned to host the forum and benefit from a growing economic bond between China and Arab countries, he said. Ningxia boasts geographic advantages as a link between China and the Arab world. Most importantly, it has deep cultural and religious connections with Arab nations since it is home to 2.17 million Muslims, over one third of Ningxia's total population.

Ningxia is also on its way to becoming a favorite investment destination, gaining steam from more affordable land and labor costs, he said.

Ningxia has established two halal food production bases each in Yinchuan and Wuzhong, attracting hundreds of enterprises from all over the country.

"Our ambitions extend far beyond simply making food," he said. "The long-term goal is to become a global production center, logistics center and exhibition center of Muslim products."

The forum will provide a powerful incentive for Ningxia to tap into the Arab markets and foster the growing industry of Muslim products, said Wang Zhengwei.

Green commitment

To be sure, trade with Arab nations is not the only bright spot on Ningxia's economic landscape. By decoupling the economy from greenhouse gas emissions and polluting industries, the region is gearing up for a more sustainable source of growth.

In the national fight against climate change, Ningxia has been at the forefront, making pushes into wind and solar power to offer relief from its reliance on coal. In addition, its success with environmental protection has also given it a head start in the race toward a low-carbon economy. Meanwhile, in east Ningxia, coal-related industries are trying to strike a balance between nature and business.

The Ningdong Energy and Chemical Industry Base, which has been under construction since 2003, is expected to record production capacities of 130 million tons of coal, 20 million tons of coal chemicals and 16 million kw of power generation by 2020 when it is completed.

But what sets the base apart from its counterparts is an array of energy-conserving and environment-friendly technologies. Its high-quality coal has fewer impurities and more chemical reactivity that ensures green production.

At the base's Lingwu Power Plant, advanced air-cooling units were installed to absorb the waste heat through airflows. This consumes around 70-percent less water than traditional water-cooling technology. Meanwhile, all coal is required to go through desulphurization and denitrification before burning to curtail emissions and contain the erosion of metal equipment. Besides this, researchers at the base came up with technologies to produce quality cement out of the ashes left over from coal burning.

The recycling model has provided a solid floor for operational efficiency and profitability of the plant, cushioning the impact of soaring coal prices, said Wang Zhenxia, a senior engineer of the plant.

For an industry reeling from heavy pollution, the green shift is a much-anticipated boon, he said.

Quick Facts About Ningxia (2009)

Area: 66,400 square km

Population: 6.25 million

GDP: 133.46 billion yuan ($19.7 billion)

Fixed-asset investment: 11.9 billion yuan ($1.8 billion)

Retail sales of consumer goods: 33.93 billion yuan ($5 billion)

Industrial added value: 53.83 billion yuan ($7.9 billion)

Paid-in foreign direct investment: $170 million

Per-capita disposable income of urban residents: 14,025 yuan ($2,069)

Per-capita net income of rural residents: 4,048 yuan ($597)

Urban registered unemployment rate: 4.4 percent

(Source: Development and Reform Commission of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region)