Wuxi paves the way to modernity

Wuxi in East China's Jiangsu province was listed among the top four cities in China due to its success in creating xiaokang, a moderately prosperous society in all respects, local media reported on Dec 29.

Jiangyin and Yixing, two prefecture-level cities in Wuxi, were listed 4th and 14th respectively in developingxiaokangamong all Chinese towns.

The list was released jointly by the China Economic Herald, the Information Development Research Institute of China Information Industry Association, and the Beijing Zhongxin Urban Planning and Design Academy as way to judge the achievements of a city's development.

A city's growth is determined through an index which takes into account economic development, quality of life, cultural strength, environmental improvement, and urban governance, according to the report.

Wuxi has proved to be highly competitive in terms of economic and social development during the 13th Five-Year Plan period. The city has developed industrial clusters in various emerging industries such as the internet of things and integrated circuits and has continued to boost investment in science and technology.

In addition, Wuxi has promoted the revitalization of rural areas and the construction of a beautiful countryside, aiming to help people become rich and improve the living environment of residents.

Wuxi saw its disposable income per capita grow 4.2 percent year-on-year to 43,299 yuan ($6,614.5) in the first three quarters of this year.

Officials also noted that the city's ambient air quality has reached the best level this year, and a total of 41 polluted water bodies in the urban area have been restored.