|

Rugao Port in Rugao, a county-level city in Nantong [Photo/ntfabu.com]

The taxable sales revenue of the modern service industry in Rugao, Nantong increased 30.26 percent year on year to 77.5 billion yuan ($11.23) in the first half of 2020, according to the city's development and reform commission.

A total of 278 companies in the sector reported that their taxable sales surpassed 20 million yuan, totaling 64.92 billion yuan.

In recent years, Rugao has attached great importance to the development of emerging industries such as internet of things, cloud computing, and big data, and attracted a number of startups engaged in software and information technology.

Jiangsu Yongxu Information and Technology Co, which was established in Rugao last year, brought in 20.12 million yuan in the first six months of 2020.

Relying on the transportation network combining railways, roads, and water, Rugao's logistics sector also witnessed significant growth.

The taxable sales revenue of the modern logistics industrial park at Rugao Port reached 38.3 billion yuan in the first half of this year, accounting for nearly 50 percent of the total of the city's service industry.

"Thanks to water-based and water-railway transport, our company earned 82.49 million yuan in the first half of this year, representing an increase of 45.29 percent," said a spokesperson for a local petrochemical storage and transportation company.

Officials said it was Rugao's efforts to extend the industrial chain and integrate the service and manufacturing sectors that helped enhance the competitiveness of the service sector and achieve growth amid the COVID-19 outbreak.