Foreign direct investment into Liaoning province jumped 96% in the first 8 months of the year, reaching US$2.89 billion, state media reported. A provincial party official credited the rise to Beijing's efforts at revitalizing China's Northeast, which includes Heilongjiang and Jilin provinces in addition to Liaoning. The province is in the process of building China's largest oil and petrochemical production base, and planning to establish bigger steel and construction steel bases. Liaoning has also set its sights on becoming the world's biggest shipbuilder.