An aerial view of Haimen district, Nantong. [Photo/Nantong Daily]  

At a recent meeting, Haimen district in Nantong announced its achievements made in 2025 and throughout the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) and outlined its tasks and goals for 2026.‌ 

In 2025, Haimen's GDP is projected to grow by 5.6 percent and industrial investment by 9 percent, while the total foreign trade exceeded 40 billion yuan ($5.76 billion) for the first time, with multiple indicators leading Nantong in growth. 

Major projects have rapidly converged in Haimen‌, with 54 newly signed and registered domestic-funded projects each exceeding 500 million yuan, and 10 foreign-funded projects each surpassing $30 million. Additionally, 210 scientific and technological innovation projects were newly signed and registered. 

The district also saw accelerated development of new quality productive forces, adding 53 new specialized and sophisticated enterprises at the provincial level or above, and 16 smart factories at the provincial level or above in 2025. The innovative drugs and pharmaceutical preparations industrial cluster was selected as a provincial-level characteristic industrial cluster for small and medium-sized enterprises. 

The urban landscape has been revitalized, earning the district the title of national ecological civilization demonstration zone‌. Facilities such as the new base of Codion Football Club and the Jiangong Lake Film and Television Base have been put into use. 

Over the past five years, Haimen's GDP increased by 40 billion yuan, and the number of industrial enterprises above designated size increased from 677 to 895. 

In 2026, Haimen aims to achieve GDP growth of over 5.5 percent, boost the added value of industrial enterprises above designated size by 10 percent, increase fixed-asset investment by 3.5 percent, raise total retail sales of consumer goods by 3.6 percent, and lift the ratio of R&D spending to GDP to at least 2.9 percent. 

The district plans to attract over 200 new scientific and technological innovation projects, increase the total number of high-tech enterprises to over 460, raise the number of industrial enterprises above designated size to over 950, and achieve a total foreign trade of 42 billion yuan.