Wuhan zone embraces innovation-driven development

Researchers at the Wuhan research institute of advanced technologies. [Photo provided to en.whkfq.gov.cn]

The Wuhan Economic & Technological Development Zone plays a crucial role in driving Wuhan's economy forward. It is a living testament to the tireless efforts of Hubei province to establish the Wuhan-Xiangyang-Shiyan-Suizhou national automobile industrial cluster and create a national hub for vehicle production capacity.

Faced with the surge in research and manufacturing of new energy vehicles, the zone has accelerated its transformation and upgrading in the first half of this year. The added value of large-scale industries has slightly increased compared to the same period last year, demonstrating strong resilience in the industrial economy.

Extending from Dongfeng Avenue to Zuo'an Avenue, WEDZ has already gathered a large number of scientific and technological innovation platforms and pilot bases, such as the Wuhan research institute of advanced technologies and the Wuhan automotive industry research institute.

In the first half of this year alone, 17 companies in the zone invested over 100 million yuan ($13.89 million). The investment funds were mainly directed toward the automotive supply chain, new energy, intelligent connected vehicles, new materials, and other related fields, resulting in the continuous expansion and diversification of the automotive industry chain.

Last month, at the 2023 Junshan New City Urban Promotion Conference, VOYAH signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the new city to establish its headquarters there. "Scientific R&D is the foundation of the automobile industry. The complete industrial chain, talent chain, and industrial ecosystem chain of WEDZ are the fundamental reason why we chose to be based here," said Lu Fang, CEO of VOYAH.