Zhangjiagang in East China's Jiangsu province is among the 10 happiest county-level cities in China. [Photo/zjgonline.com.cn]

The port city of Zhangjiagang in East China's Jiangsu province was selected as one of the 10 happiest county-level cities in China at the 2020 Chinese Happy City Forum held in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province on Nov 18.

The list, hosted by Oriental Outlook magazine and the Liaowang Institute of the Xinhua News Agency, was based on a variety of indicators, including employment, average income, public safety, education, transportation, and healthcare.

Zhangjiagang, located in the middle of the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region, ranked third among China's 100 strongest counties, following Kunshan and Jiangyin, and was recently named a national civilized city for the sixth time. Both of these honors are due to Zhangjiagang’s unremitting efforts to improve the local environment and promote the development of a safe city governed by the rule of law.

In recent years, Zhangjiagang has accelerated its integration with the YRD. In July, the Shanghai-Suzhou-Nantong Railway opened to the public, which has made traveling between the two cities much more convenient. Two other high-speed rails are currently under construction, which will help Zhangjiagang set up a transportation network extending in all directions to Shanghai, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Beijing, and Tianjin.

The city has also strengthened efforts to promote the transformation and upgrading of its traditional industries, and has worked to cultivate industrial chains such as new metallurgical materials, intelligent equipment, new chemical materials, and high-end textiles in an effort to promote sustainable development.

Zhangjiagang is currently home to more than 10,000 industrial enterprises, including over 1,300 foreign-funded firms and 600 high-tech companies. Fifty-six Fortune 500 companies currently operate in the city.