A slew of large-scale investment projects are under construction in Hai'an. [Photo/WeChat account: hafbwx]

Hai'an, a county-level city administered by Nantong in East China's Jiangsu province, presided over the construction of 119 projects last year, collectively costing more than 100 million yuan ($15.43 million), including 44 that each cost over 1 billion yuan, according to the government.

Government officials were deployed to track the progress of each major project. They were responsible for improving coordination, offering guidance and visiting construction sites on a regular basis. Meanwhile, municipal departments also acted to resolve any difficulties and problems in the process of developing the projects, ensuring they proceeded on schedule.

To attract large-scale projects, Hai'an has established a city-level investment service center and three directly affiliated investment promotion agencies that are responsible for investment promotions in the national capital of Beijing, as well as the major southern cities of Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. Moreover, investment promotion companies have been established in development and high-tech zones to undertake marketing and nearly 300 various investment activities were held during the year.

Hai'an also forged working relationships with 42 sub-districts, towns and 16 Taiwanese business associations in Shanghai, in order to secure new projects in the areas of tourism, technological innovation and finance – as well as in the culture, medical and health sectors.

Thanks to these efforts, the city's seven industrial parks represented by the Chang'an Textile Science and Technology Park have attracted over 30 major projects – whose owners have invested more than 1 billion yuan over the past three years – and the newcomers have reportedly helped achieve substantial growth at the Robot and Intelligent Manufacturing Industrial Park.

Improved industry-university-research cooperation has reportedly further boosted these projects.

In 2020, Hai'an clinched 316 contracted projects, recorded 134 newly registered projects and began work on 105 projects, according to official statistics.