Wang Shaoyong, head of Tongzhou district, delivers a report on the district government's performance in 2021. [Photo/WeChat account: southtongzhou]

The first session of the 17th Tongzhou District People's Congress opened in the district's administrative center on Jan 11, with Wang Shaoyong, head of Tongzhou – located in Nantong city in East China's Jiangsu province – delivering a positive report on the government's work in 2021.

According to the report, last year Tongzhou's economy recorded estimated GDP of 161 billion yuan ($25.3 billion), up 9.2 percent on the previous year and up 40.9 percent on 2016. The general public budget posted revenue of 7.67 billion yuan, up 15 percent, ranking it first in terms of growth of the areas administered by Nantong. Local taxation hit 6.4 billion yuan, up 19.2 percent.

Over the past five years, Tongzhou has been recognized as one of China's top 100 areas in terms of the most investment potential and its overall business environment, making it the only one in Nantong. It was also included on the list of China's top 100 happiest districts.

The economic and social development targets for 2022 were also announced in the report. The regional GDP, the general public budget revenue and fixed-asset investments are all projected to grow by at least 7 percent. Meanwhile, research and development expenditure is estimated to account for 2.75 percent of total GDP.

Total retail sales of consumer goods are projected to increase by 8 percent and per capita disposable income of urban and rural residents is seen rising in tandem with economic growth.

In addition, Tongzhou will make efforts to reduce energy consumption per unit of GDP and carbon dioxide emissions.