Haimen, a county-level city in Nantong, East China's Jiangsu province, at night [Photo/WeChat account: haimenfabu]

Haimen, a county-level city in Nantong, East China's Jiangsu province, ranked 16th among all county-level cities in China in terms of economic competitiveness.

According to a report released by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences on Dec 6, Haimen moved up one spot this year, putting it at seventh place in Jiangsu province and first in Nantong, followed by Qidong, Hai'an, Rugao, and Rudong.

The list was based on the regional gross product, government revenue, and number of companies above designated size - those with an annual revenue of 20 million yuan ($2.86 million) or higher- of 400 counties in 26 provinces and regions.

A total of 23 counties in Jiangsu province made the list, more than any other province in China.

In recent years, the city has been placing a lot of importance on high-quality economic development.

Its industrial economy has maintained a growth rate of more than 10 percent, while its service industry has grown more than 30 percent year on year from January to October.

The manufacturing, construction, and modern home textile industries are the top three driving forces behind the city's economic growth.

The city's gross domestic product (GDP) rose 8 percent to more than 120 billion yuan in 2018.