Mayor of Nantong Han Liming said in a 2018 government work report: "Over the past year, Nantong has met unexpected difficulties and challenges in its development, while the opportunities and expectations are more than at any time in the past."

Han said that in 2018, Nantong will seize the opportunities brought about by both national and regional strategies and accelerate the pace of building itself into the north gate of Shanghai. Nantong stands at the turning point in the new era, the mayor added.

In April last year, a total of 32 agreements were signed at the first session of the Nantong (Shanghai) Cooperation Conference, bringing around 52.2 billion yuan ($8.02 billion) of investment to the city.

Of the 32 projects, four are expected to bring in investments of more than 5 billion yuan and 16 will be worth more than 1 billion yuan each.

According to official figures, a total of 622 corporations from Shanghai chose to start operations in Nantong in 2017, an increase of 85.12 percent year-on-year.

liyou@chinadaily.com.cn

A bird's-eye view of Nantong's old town.Peng Changqing / For China Daily

(China Daily 03/06/2018 page12)