A bird's-eye view of the Five Mountains area in Nantong. [Photo provided by Xu Congjun to en.nantong.gov.cn]

Nantong in Jiangsu province has seen nonstop development over the past four decades, leading to a more pleasant natural environment and more convenient transportation infrastructure.

Located at the estuary of the Yangtze River, Nantong is the last ecological barrier for the river's protection. The 17-square-kilometer five mountains (Huangni, Ma'an, Langshan, Jianshan, and Junshan) and the riverfronts are key to the city's environmental protection efforts.

In 2016, Nantong launched a campaign to restore the natural environment in the Five Mountains area and areas along the Yangtze River. To date, 12 km of waterfront area has been restored and about 6 sq km of forests have been added in the city.

Nantong has also beautified local roads and rivers with flowers and greenery and established numerous parks to improve its living environment.

As of the end of 2023, Nantong was home to 12,638 hectares of green spaces, with a per capita park area and green space of 19.65 square meters.

In 2011, Nantong set a goal to develop a modern three-dimensional transportation network, aiming to ensure all residents are within 10 minutes of an elevated road and 20 mins of an expressway, and that they can access everything they need within a 30-min commute.

The city has built multiple expressways, transformed a number of local roads and opened two subway lines.

Nantong also plans to build a total of eight bridges over the Yangtze River, with three having already opened to traffic and three currently under construction.

Next to the Yangtze River and Huanghai Sea, Nantong will continue to showcase the charm of the Jianghai Plain (also known as the River and Sea Plain) and ensure the harmonious coexistence of humans and nature.