The Suzhou Development Summit is held. [Photo/zjgonline.com.cn]

The Suzhou Development Summit began on May 21, bringing together 360 guests from home and abroad, including some from Zhangjiagang.

Shen Bin, president of Jiangsu Shagang Group and vice-chairman of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, said during his speech at one of the summit's forums that as a local enterprise in Zhangjiagang, Shagang Group has been focusing on the steel industry and has explored many other sectors including energy, metal products, logistics, financial investment, and emerging industries.

Zhong Ruilin, director of production and operations for Dow Chemical in Greater China and South Korea, said the summit provided an excellent platform for companies to work together.

As a renowned Fortune 500 company, Dow Chemical has been consistently increasing investment in Zhangjiagang for 21 years. "We are currently planning our development trajectory for the next five years, and Zhangjiagang is an important investment destination. In addition, we will break ground on a major project in Zhangjiagang next month," according to Zhong.

Li Jian, who founded Jiangsu Yinghua Materials Technology Co Ltd in Zhangjiagang in 2015, also spoke highly of the city. "With convenient transportation, comprehensive facilities, a pleasant environment, and a highly-educated population, it is a well-organized city."

Li Jian credited Zhangjiagang's excellent business environment for the company's successful approval as a national high-tech enterprise. He said the company will establish its own production and research base in Zhangjiagang and expand its business overseas.

Yan Hao, chairman of EPS Group, which has been engaged in the pharmaceutical industry in Japan for more than 30 years, said he hopes to cooperate more with Zhangjiagang, his hometown, in the fields of biomedicine and high-end elderly care.

The Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology of Chinese Academy of Sciences, where Yan works, and Zhangjiagang have in recent years maintained a close partnership in integrated circuits, providing technical support for Zhangjiagang's small and medium-sized enterprises.