A musical instrument production base covering a total area of 560 hectares is expected to be built up by the year 2007 in a northeast suburb of Beijing, becoming the largest of its kind in China.

Upon completion, the musical instrument base, located in Donggaocun Town in Pinggu District, will reap 1.5 billion yuan (US$180 million) in annual output value and offer 15,000 job opportunities for locals, said Zhang Fuquan, head of the town.

Nine areas for producing violins and guitars, as well as orchestral and Chinese traditional musical instruments will be built in the base, said Zhang.

Donggaocun started manufacturing musical instruments in 1984 and has become the largest violin production base in north China with an annual output of 160,000 violins.

Violins produced in the town are exported to more than 30 countries and regions, including the United States, Germany, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and account for 30 percent of sales worldwide.

Donggaocun is now home to 12 musical instrument manufacturers with 2,500 employees.
 
(Xinhua News Agency December 3, 2003)