A bird’s-eye view of Zhangjiagang, a county-level city in East China’s Jiangsu province [Photo/zjgonline.com.cn]

Zhangjiagang, East China’s Jiangsu province, has recently become a pilot city for the integration of the advanced manufacturing and modern service industries, according to an announcement by the provincial development and reform commission.

According to the document, Zhangjiagang will take full advantage of its location, resources, and industrial foundation to promote the deep integration of advanced manufacturing and modern services.

Focus will mainly be placed on 11 fields – metallurgy, textiles, the chemical industry, new materials, new energy, high-end equipment, sci-tech services, customized solutions, industrial design, modern supply chains, and intelligent manufacturing and management.

Over the next three years, the city is expected to establish two or three integrated public service platforms, cultivate more than 20 intelligent manufacturing companies with value-added services, and build two or three integrated industrial parks. The added value of the manufacturing service industry is expected to account for 65 percent of the total value of the city’s service industry.

Three local companies – Shagang Group, Jiangsu Yonggang Group Co, and Jiangsu Aoyang Health Industry Co – were also designated as pilot companies for the promotion of industrial integration.

Shagang Group, China's largest private steelmaker, will work to advance intelligent manufacturing, develop smart and environmentally-friendly logistics systems, and build a comprehensive e-commerce platform for steel products.

Jiangsu Yonggang Group Co plans to further expand the industrial chain and provide an increasing number of services, including cutting and delivering reinforcement bars and making 3D prints of steel slags.

Jiangsu Aoyang Health Industry Co will work with medical equipment manufacturers in the research, development, and production of intelligent nursing equipment and rehabilitation robots and provide sales support and after-sales services.

The local government is hoping to transform traditional industries and accelerate high-quality economic development.