Nantong Gangzha Economic Development Zone [Photo/WeChat account: ntgzjjkfq]

The weekend night market event held on June 20 at the Wanda Plaza in Nantong Gangzha Economic Development Zone has just brought down the curtain.

The event is just one of the far-reaching methods that the municipal government has employed to revive the local economy affected by the COVID-19 outbreak.

By tapping into the experiences of some successful industrial parks in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, the zone is taking the opportunity to promote high-quality development, according to Wang Bin, secretary of the Party working committee of Gangzha Economic Development Zone.

Established in 1993, the zone sits in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD), which is home to an extensive transport network that includes railways and expressways. The travel time between Nantong and Shanghai has been reduced to only over one hour since the Nantong-Shanghai Railway opened on July 1.

In recent years, the zone has been pursuing a growth model driven by advanced manufacturing and modern service industries. Specifically, a batch of giant enterprises engaged in intelligent equipment manufacturing continue to grow, such as China International Marine Containers Group and Kunshan Chuandao Washing Machinery. Besides, a multifunction commercial district has taken shape as local infrastructure has been significantly improved.

As China continues to promote the integrated regional development of the YRD, the zone is now taking new opportunities to build a competitive industry cluster, which will include both pillar industries (equipment manufacturing, high-end textile, power and energy) and emerging industries (information technology, new materials, biological medicine).