The 2021 China Qidong International Economic & Trade Conference, which was held on June 5 in the county-level city of Qidong – administered by Nantong in East China's Jiangsu province – witnessed the signing of a number of major projects set to be based in the metropolis.

More than 200 people attended the event. They included representatives of top local companies, business leaders, scientific research institutes and industry associations from the domestic equipment manufacturing, as well as the new energy, intelligent manufacturing, life and health industries.

Li Ling, Party secretary of Qidong, told the conference she was bullish about the future of the region. She said that with the implementation of national development strategies such as the Belt and Road Initiative and the Yangtze River Delta integration – as well as the construction of the high-speed railway along the northern bank of the Yangtze River – Qidong would become a pivotal point in the national traffic network.

Li added that the conference was an important platform for Qidong to carry out international commerce and business.

Qidong, she added, would strive to develop a first-class business environment through preferential policies, low costs, high efficiency and superior services. These would facilitate the high-quality development of various corporate ventures and entrepreneurs were welcome to visit and invest in the city.

A signing ceremony for several projects that are due to locate there was signed at the conference.

These included a high-end intelligent port machinery project costing 10 billion yuan ($1.56 billion), a photovoltaic batteries manufacturing plant, components and support equipment with an investment of 10.2 billion yuan and a 10 billion yuan innovation park.