Nantong makes continued progress in quality development

A city located in the central area of the Yangtze River Delta region with its riverside and coast connected to Shanghai, Nantong has seized the national strategic opportunity, taken part in the integration of the Yangtze River Delta, and played a pivotal role in the development of the region.

With the goal of building a model city to promote the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta region, Nantong is making continuous progress in high-quality development.

The wave of industrial innovation synergy has arrived and the curtain is opening amid the strengthening cross-regional collaboration between technological innovation and industrial innovation, which is the key to continuously exploring and coordinating in promoting higher quality integrated development in the Yangtze River Delta region.

On November 8, at the construction site of the north branch channel of the Yangtze River estuary in Qidong, the concrete pour began at the lower crossbeam and tower column connection section of the 4th main tower of the Chongqi Highway Railway Yangtze River Bridge, marking a new stage in the construction of the bridge.

The three cross-river channels under construction in the southern section of the Yangtze River are constantly breaking through new nodes, crossing the Yangtze River barrier from Rugao, Haimen, and Qidong respectively, continuously amplifying Nantong's advantages of "good connectivity" and its location next to Shanghai and southern Jiangsu Province.

In recent years, Nantong has fully amplified its advantages in transportation location, river coastline, and vast hinterland, further improved the regional transport network layout, promoted regional coordination and interconnectivity, and assisted in the high-quality development of the Yangtze River Delta integration.

In early November, the 7th China International Import Expo was successfully held. Nantong actively participated in the "grand event at its doorstep," and its "Buy Buy Group" has always been a prominent presence at the CIIE every year.

Taking advantage of the grand event, Nantong held multinational conglomerate headquarters matchmaking in the National Convention & Exhibition Center (Shanghai) on November 6, and the Tongzhou District Government from Nantong held investment cooperation (Shanghai) negotiation in Shanghai on November 7.

Nantong has become the city with the closest connection between the north bank of the Yangtze River and Shanghai and southern Jiangsu Province, and the highest concentration of industrial innovation.

Under frequent interactions, the cooperation between Nantong and Shanghai and cities in southern Jiangsu has transformed from repeated exchanges and connections to one project after another.

The combination of incubation in Shanghai and Southern Jiangsu and transformation in Nantong continues to create new and exciting performances.

Across the river, geographically close with close social connections, interconnected markets, and integrated industries. Nantong and its sister cities in the Yangtze River Delta region have their own characteristics.

The six key industries in Nantong, namely shipbuilding and marine engineering, high-end textiles, new generation information technology, high-end equipment, new materials, and new energy, are matched with the key industries in Shanghai and the leading industrial systems in Suzhou.

The industrial and supply chains are highly complementary and can provide supporting cooperation and extended services for the development of manufacturing industries in Shanghai and Suzhou.

Nantong continues to deepen its cooperation with Shanghai and Suzhou in industrial chain innovation, actively undertaking the capacity expansion needs of strategic emerging industries in Shanghai and Suzhou.

It actively explores cooperation models such as "base plus expansion zone," "headquarters plus collaborative center," "enclave incubation," and "offshore innovation," promoting the smooth flow, organic integration, and efficient linkage of resources such as science and technology innovation, industry, and space on a larger scale.

In August 2010, the governments of Jing'an District in Shanghai and Nantong took the initiative to implement the national strategy of the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta region and signed a contract to jointly build the Shanghai Shibei High-tech (Nantong) Science and Technology City, launching a "two-way rush."

The park has been awarded as the only model park for inter-provincial industrial cooperation in the Yangtze River Delta region, becoming a model for deepening economic exchanges and cooperation between Shanghai and Nantong.

More than 100 years ago, Zhang Jian (1853-1926), the top scholar and industrialist of the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), founded China's first private yarn factory, Dasheng Yarn Factory, at Tangjiazha in Shibei, opening the path of industrial salvation and forging the glory of Nantong as the "first modern city."

Nantong is a city of river and sea with a solid industrial foundation, complementing Shanghai and southern Jiangsu, and enjoying a harmonious relationship.

Continuously promoting deep integration with Shanghai and broad integration into southern Jiangsu, Nantong has achieved a series of landmark results.

Nantong adheres unwaveringly to the principle of "building the city through industry and strengthening the city through manufacturing," and strives to turn itself into a modern industrial city in China.

The year 2024 is the fifth year for Nantong to be a member of the "trillion yuan GDP club." Standing on the "wind" formed by the superposition of multiple national strategies, the "Pearl of the River and Sea" accelerates cross-river integration, accurately integrates into the industrial chain of the Shanghai metropolitan area, explores the path of supporting the construction of the Shanghai International Economic Center from the perspective of industrial synergy, and jointly promotes the two-way opening, deep integration, and coordinated development of regional industrial chain and supply chain innovation chain.

Moving toward the "new," upgrading the "quality," and moving toward the "next trillion yuan," Nantong proposes to double the scale of its output to around 2 trillion yuan (US$276.3 billion) within another five years.