Wind farm in Nantong. [Photo provided to en.nantong.gov.cn]

Nantong, a city in East China's Jiangsu province, stepped up its efforts to attract multinational investment and promote sustainable development at a business dialogue held in Shanghai on Nov 6.

More than 220 representatives from foreign diplomatic missions, business associations and multinational companies gathered at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai to explore opportunities in green development, environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices and technological innovation.

Zhang Tong, mayor of Nantong, said the city was committed to creating a stable, transparent and predictable business environment while strengthening support for foreign-invested enterprises throughout their operations.

Zhang highlighted Nantong's efforts to expand access to green electricity, computing resources and application scenarios, develop an integrated energy system encompassing wind, solar, energy storage and hydrogen, and establish zero-carbon industrial parks across its coastal areas.

"Investing in Nantong means investing in the future," Zhang said, encouraging multinational companies to establish manufacturing facilities, research centers and regional operations in the city.

At the event, representatives from the United Nations Global Compact, Siemens and Merck shared insights into low-carbon transformation, ESG governance and digital innovation. Several multinational companies expressed confidence in Nantong's development prospects and identified it as a promising location for their expansion in the Yangtze River Delta region.

The city also unveiled opportunities for partnership in near-zero-carbon industrial parks, corporate ESG initiatives, healthcare and artificial intelligence.

Several organizations, including the Shanghai Pudong Association of Foreign-Invested Enterprises, joined forces to establish the Yangtze Estuary Collaborative Innovation and Sharing Center for Industrial Sustainable Development.

Business matchmaking sessions were also held to connect multinational companies with local authorities, industrial parks and businesses, paving the way for future partnerships.