Shenyang's Tiexi district is drawing comparisons with Germany's Ruhr valley, one of the world's top 10 industrial regions, for its booming cultural and creative industry.

Fueled by the power of the internet, the Hongmei Cultural and Creative Park in the district, which opened to the public on Sept 30 last year, has become a popular destination inspiring innovation.

The park was built on the former Shenyang Hongmei gourmet powder production site, which was established in 1939.

In 2014, the company went bankrupt, leaving some 60,000 square meters of empty industrial space.

To revive the historical value of the factory, the Tiexi district government cooperated with property developer China Vanke to reconstruct and upgrade the industrial site into a cultural and creative industry park.

The reconstruction retained the original architecture and repaired structures via historical reproduction, according to Liu Xiao, Vanke's vice-president.

"In addition, the upgrading has focused on building a platform for cultural and art exchanges, and a center for art exhibitions, offices, studios and cultural, creative and commercial industries," Liu said. And that move helps to create a new cultural setting for the public, he added.

Lin Changyin, chief partner at the park, said: "The park pays tribute to the city's culture and helps boost its future with industrial development."

A similar site in the district is the 1905 Cultural and Creative Park, which consists of two refurbished metalwork shops previously operated by Northern Heavy Industry Group.

The structures retain the original style of the architecture from some 70 years ago.

Over the seven years since it opened to the public, the park has become well known for its art, activities and experiences, thanks to its many popular restaurants, bars, themed cafes, creative studios and theaters.

"The 1905 park marks the first year of Shenyang's industrialization, while honoring the history of the city," said Xu Bili, founder of the park.

"We hope it will become a new cultural landmark of the city."

Zeng Fanwei, deputy head of the Tiexi district cultural tourism bureau, said cultural and creative parks have contributed greatly to the district and reinvigorated old industrial spaces.

"Cultural and creative parks can bring more artistry to people in Shenyang and make the city a leading player in the creative arts scene in Liaoning province or even in Northeast China," Zeng said.

Having witnessed the beginning of the modern industry in China and being home to manufacturers such as Northern Heavy Industries Group and Shenyang Aircraft Corp, Shenyang is famous as a traditional manufacturing base nationwide.

With the city upgrading its construction and economic development since 2000, old plants in downtown areas have become an ideal option for redevelopment, local officials said.

This year, Tiexi district has incorporated industrial culture tourism into its industrial plan, hoping it will contribute to the high-quality development of the district, said Liu Kewu, Party secretary of Tiexi.

According to Shenyang Statistics Bureau, the added value of the tertiary industry in Shenyang was 400.76 billion yuan ($56.7 billion) last year, an increase of 5.2 percent from 2018. The amount accounted for 61.9 percent of the city's GDP in 2019.

In the same year, the city held some 12,600 mass cultural activities, attracting 10.7 million participants.