The urban landscape of Qidong. [Photo/WeChat account: qidongfabu]

The 2026 Qidong Digital Economy Development Forum took place on June 12, aiming to explore new development pathways for the county-level city's digital economy.

A key highlight was the inauguration of a smart computing center, with a 120-million-yuan ($17.73 million) investment from Shanghai Runliuchi Technology.

The center aims to establish a smart computing hub in Nantong, serving Jiangsu and Shanghai, and expanding further across the Yangtze River Delta region.

During the forum, the center inked cooperation deals with seven ecosystem partners and four local enterprises.

In addition, several strategic agreements were signed, including the "Smart Qidong" cooperation project, an artificial intelligence innovation base, a micro-drama project, and an initiative for an AIGC-powered cross-border e-commerce OPC community.