The 2021 Qidong (Shanghai) Cooperation Forum for Industry Development was held on March 19 in the Sheraton Grand Shanghai Pudong Hotel – located in the Pudong New Area of East China's Shanghai – during which the metropolis gave a glowing account of the progress it has made and indicated it was on the hunt for more companies to move there to help with its development.

Shao Maohua, deputy Party secretary of Qidong, delivered a keynote speech at the forum on behalf of the municipal Party committee and government of Qidong, a county-level city administered by Nantong city in East China's Jiangsu province.

Shao said that Shanghai was playing a leading role in the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt and the Yangtze River Delta city cluster.

Qidong had actively cooperated with Shanghai in recent years in development planning, infrastructure construction, industrial innovation, resource sharing, ecological governance and public services, Shao added.

Moreover, they city has focused on developing itself as a new highland for the integrated development of the YRD and as a new model for the integrated development of Shanghai, Suzhou and Nantong, Shao said.

He added that Qidong had competitive geographical, location and transport advantages due to its prime location and developed infrastructure.

The city has reportedly developed an advanced and efficient industrial system. This focuses on two main industries – marine engineering and heavy equipment and the life and health technology industry. It also focuses on two emerging industries – the new materials industry and the new energy industry, as well as two competitive industries: the electronics information and semiconductor industry and the precision machinery industry.

The city has also attracted many leading companies in various industries, including COSCO shipping, China Merchants Group and Huafon Microfibre.

In addition, Qidong reportedly provides a great environment for both living and doing business in that it is said to possess a unique landscape and the best air quality in Jiangsu province, while on the innovative technology front it is developing Internet Plus administration services and online examinations and approvals.

The metropolis reportedly also leads in so-called "1120" reform – a term referring to the goal of completing business and real estate registration within one working day and completing the approval of engineering projects within 20 working days.

At the forum, 12 industrial projects with a total investment of 19.5 billion yuan ($3 million) signed up to base themselves in Qidong.