Zhangjiagang in East China’s Jiangsu province was named a Yangtze River Delta pilot city of innovation and investment during an innovation forum held in Shanghai on Dec 5.

At the second China International Import Expo, the city was also included in a list of the top 50 county-level cities in the Yangtze River Delta region for its strength in innovation and attracting investment.

The central government recently issued an outline on the integrated regional development of the Yangtze River Delta, and Zhangjiagang will play an active role in building the Yangtze River Delta region into a vibrant and world-class economic region.

Since the beginning of this year, the city has signed a number of project deals with Shanghai and other nearby cities involving intelligent manufacturing, financing, investment, and sci-tech research and innovation.

It has also started sharing public resources, such as administrative services, education, elderly care, and culture and tourism resources, with nearby cities to achieve a higher level of integration. The city’s health insurance payment system currently works at more than 300 medical institutes in Shanghai.

The city is also expected to enter the half-hour economic circle of Shanghai, as the Shanghai-Nantong Railway will begin operating in the first half of 2020.

One of the city’s main geographical advantages is its more than 80-km-long coast along the Yangtze River. It is the river’s largest international trade port, with an annual throughput of 235 million tons. The city also trades with more than 300 ports in over 60 countries.

Zhangjiagang has a strong industrial foundation and is home to more than 10,000 industrial companies, including over 1,000 foreign-funded ones. Its five pillar industries have a total annual output value of nearly 500 billion yuan ($71.05 billion).

The city also boasts a favorable business environment, with highly efficient and transparent government services and a wide array of incentives for skilled workers.

A healthy natural environment also makes the city a comfortable place to live. It has a 20 percent forest coverage rate and four national 4A-level scenic spots.