Nantong City in east China's Jiangsu Province -- once cut off from the south by the mighty waterway of the Yangtze River -- is now tightly connected with neighboring innovation hubs like Shanghai, Suzhou and Wuxi thanks to the establishment of an increasingly dense network of cross-river passages, enabling it to rank among the key cross-river collaborative innovation players.
Sigenergy, a tech company focusing on developing cutting-edge all-scenario energy solutions, is a case in point. Established in Shanghai four years ago with its products being sold to more than 80 other countries and regions worldwide, the company has placed its global large-scale production and delivery base in the Suzhou-Wuxi-Nantong Science and Technology Park in the city, which is located on the south bank of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River.
The first phase of the project went from groundbreaking to production in just eight months, while the second phase, with a total investment of 1.6 billion yuan (about 236.3 million U.S. dollars), is under construction.
"We have established a complete closed loop from research and development to manufacturing. From our headquarters in Shanghai to infrastructure here in Nantong, it's one and a half hours of drive. After the Haitai Yangtze River Tunnel opens, it will likely be even more convenient," said Cheng Guobo, general manager of Sigenergy.
The tunnel is a key project to forge a major trans-river road link under China's longest river, connecting Haimen in the city of Nantong with Taicang in the city of Suzhou. Construction of the tunnel is expected to be completed in 2028. Upon completion, it will serve as a critical link to facilitate transportation in the Yangtze River Delta.
For industry professionals like Cheng, frequent travel between Shanghai and Nantong has become a normal for cross-river commuting. Of the eight planned Yangtze River-crossing channels along the 166-kilometer Yangtze River shoreline in Nantong, three have already seen their construction completed and have been opened to traffic, and five are under construction. In the future, there will be an average of one crossing for every 20 kilometers along the riverbank.
These increasing numbers of channels not only make travel more convenient for residents on both sides of the river, but also accelerate the integration of cross-river industries, ensuring smooth flow of resources and personnel and more efficient allocation.
Near one of the busiest channels, the Suzhou-Wuxi-Nantong Science and Technology Industrial Park stands as a major platform for cross-river integration. Officially established in 2020, it is a transnational industrial park co-developed by Jiangsu Province and Singapore, an eco-industrial park jointly built by China and Austria, and a demonstration platform for regional coordinated development among Nantong, Suzhou and Wuxi.
"Based on the joint conference mechanism between Nantong and Suzhou and other frameworks, we have replicated and promoted over 200 reform and innovation measures, adhering to the model where research and development takes place in Shanghai and southern Jiangsu Province while transfer of achievements happens in the industrial park, and where innovations from Shanghai and southern Jiangsu are incubated in the industrial park. Today, enterprises from Shanghai and southern Jiangsu account for more than 70 percent of the companies in the park," said Yu Yuesong, director of the Suzhou-Wuxi-Nantong Science and Technology Park.
So far, the park has attracted nearly 200 leading cross-river cooperation projects, including more than 30 projects with a total investment of over 1 billion yuan (about 147.7 million U.S. dollars). Leveraging the unique advantages of international cooperation, the park has also established an open platform that connects to global resources, helping companies within the park expand overseas.
Moreover, Nantong is exploring the construction of the "Yangtze River Estuary Industrial Innovation and Green Development Cooperative Zone," jointly developing close innovation relationship with Shanghai, Suzhou and other regions. More than 50 percent of enterprises in Nantong have established cooperative relationships with Shanghai and southern Jiangsu, and 70 percent of large-scale industrial enterprises are engaging in innovation collaborations with 80 percent of universities and research institutes in Shanghai and Suzhou.
"Ninety percent of the newly attracted industrial projects in the city are deeply integrated into the industrial chain of Shanghai and southern Jiangsu. In the first half of this year, 399 industrial projects with investments exceeding 100 million yuan (about 14.8 million U.S. dollars) were launched, of which cross-river cooperation projects accounted for 80 percent of domestic investment from outside the city," said Yang Chaoying, an official from Nantong Development and Reform Commission.
Interconnected transportation network in east China city empowers regional collaborative innovation
