Wuxi forum discusses Yangtze River Delta's integration

A forum discussing cooperation, innovation, and the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region was held in Wuxi on Oct 12.

Over 200 experts and directors of business systems and development zones in YRD cities were invited, after a state leader stressed the importance of pursuing the integration of the Yangtze River Delta by focusing on high-quality development.

Wang Runliang, vice chairman of the China Investment Promotion Association and the Jiangsu Development Zone Association, said that Jiangsu province should arrange its industrial chains based on its leading enterprises and help other provinces and cities achieve integrated development.

As the geometric center of the Yangtze River Delta region, Wuxi plays a unique role in the region's integration. The city has a solid foundation in industries such as internet of things, biomedicine, and integrated circuits. Enterprises in Wuxi have established a strong supply chain in the Yangtze River Delta.

During the forum, the Jiangsu Provincial Development Zone Association, the Shanghai Investment Promotion Center of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, Shanghai Lingang Group, and the Wuxi Huishan Economic Development Zone signed a strategic cooperation agreement to promote regional cooperation.

The Yangtze River Delta is one of modern China's most powerful economic centers. The delta, roughly the size of Germany, encompasses Shanghai and the provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui.

The area is home to 15 percent of China's population and contributes roughly a quarter of the country's GDP. It also contributed more than a third of its foreign trade and investment in 2019, with a value of 11.24 trillion yuan ($1.58 trillion).

In 2018, the integration of the Yangtze River Delta was upgraded to a national-level strategy.