At the 2005 Beijing Forum for Nobel Prize Laureates, a "strange" English word "Z-Park", which frequently came out of the mouth of the 2002 Nobel Prize Laureate Vernon Smith as he talked about "Globalization of Chinese economy" had puzzled the simultaneous interpreter.

But the "villagers"("cun" in the name Zhongguancun means village in Chinese, so the people in Zhongguancun are "villagers") sitting at the front rows knew "Z-Park" referred to the Zhongguancun Science Park. "Z-Park is the short form for Zhongguancun Science Park," explained Xia Yingqi, vice director of the Zhongguancun Administrative Committee in charge of foreign affairs and reception work.

Xia knows the story quite well, "People in the Zhongguancun Software Park use the name "Z-Park" first. The term was created by a MBA student that has returned from overseas and it is mainly used in international publicity and investment invitation"

Today "Z-Park" has become a widely used name for the Zhonguancun Science Park at international community, since it is easier to remember and pronounce, and better caters for the way foreigners speak.

"Z-Park" has already become known overseas. Patrick J.Mcgovern, Chairman of the famous venture capital company International Data Group says he will be touched every time he comes to Zhongguancun. The Asia-Pacific Research Center at the Stanford Institute for International Studies has put Zhongguancun Science Park one of their key researches since 2003. Compared with other regions, Zhongguancun is most like the Silicon Valley, said Prof. Miller the head of the research center.

"Z-Park is well-known at the Wall Street too," said Zhang Lei, New York Stock Exchange's Chief Representative in China after his visit to Zhongguancun in August 2004. John A. Thain, CEO of NYSE, also visited Zhongguancun later the same year. Of the major innovative zones in China, Zhongguancun is the one with most international features and innovative power, Zhang Lei said.

With the influence of Zhongguancun Science Park growing overseas, "Z-Park", the "business card" of Zhongguancun will become more brilliant.

By People's Daily Online