China's State Council has consented to the Beijing Economic Technological Development Zone being expanded by 24 square kilometers.

First set up in August 1992, the development zone presently covers 15.8 square kilometers.

At the end of July, 1,055 enterprises from 35 countries, including 38 of the world's top 500 companies, had set up business there.

The zone has attracted four billion US dollars in overseas investment and has become an important base for the development of information technology, biological technology, new materials and energy.

The new expansion will be to the east of the Beijing-Tianjin-Tanggu highway and the west of the Liangshui River.

(Xinhua News Agency August 19, 2002)