[Photo/ntgz.gov.cn]

Gangzha district, at the north bank of the mouth of the Yangtze River, is located in the middle of the urban area of Nantong. It is an important city group in Nantong integrating advanced manufacturing, modern services and emerging industries. It is adjacent to the Yangtze River on the south, faces Shanghai and Suzhou across the Yangtze River and neighbors the vast Northern Jiangsu Plain.

Gangzha district covers an area of 134.23 square kilometers and has 10 kilometers of the Yangtze River bank line. Tiansheng Port plays a vital role in the upper reaches of Nantong Port. It now administers the Gangzha Economic Development Zone at the provincial level, Tangzha town, Qinzao sub-district, Xingfu sub-district, Chenqiao sub-district and 60 villages (communities). The population of permanent residents in Gangzha district has reached up to 278,000, including 190,400 registered permanent residents.

Gangzha's GDP was estimated to have reached 44 billion yuan ($6.2 billion) in 2019, with a year-on-year increase of 6.5 percent. Its revenue in the general public budget was expected to reach 4.5 billion yuan, 7 percent higher than that of the previous year. Retail sales of consumer goods and total foreign trade value both increased by 6 percent year-on-year.

The per capita disposable income of urban residents was around 53,000 yuan, a growth of 8.3 percent. A total of 1,571 residents were offered support in starting businesses and received total loans of 13.73 million yuan in 2019. The district provided about 6,500 job opportunities and helped 4,121 urban workers find jobs.

Red mansion in Tangzha town [Photo/ntgz.gov.cn]

Relying on its excellent geographical position and convenient transportation conditions, Gangzha district has already shaped a connected and convenient transportation network, featuring a backbone of high-grade highways and railways and connectivity of waterways, highways, air transportation and railways. Gangzha is accessible by three highways, the Nanjing-Nantong Highway, the Tongzhou-Qidong Highway and the Coastal Expressway. It is 264 kilometers from Nanjing to the north and 128 kilometers from Shanghai to the east. Three canals, the Tongyang, the Tonglv and the Jiuweigang, flow into the Yangtze River, and connect with rivers and seas. The Xinyi-Changxing Railway passes through the railway station in Gangzha district, linking with the "Eurasia Land Bridge" - the Lanzhou-Lianyungang Railway. Nantong Xingdong International Airport is close to Gangzha district, and has opened routes to connect with large and middle-sized cities. The road framework of "three horizontal roads with five vertical roads" has taken shape in Gangzha district. The "three horizontal roads" refers to Jianghai Road, Yonghe Road and Chengbei Road; while the "five vertical roads" refers to North Street, Gongnong North Road, Tongning Road, Changtai Road and Changping Road.