The Feixiang Pharmaceutical Industrial Park in Fenghuang town, Zhangjiagang. [Photo/zjgonline.com.cn]

During the Zhangjiagang Biopharmaceutical Industry Innovation and Development Conference held on June 17, agreements for nine high-quality projects in the biopharmaceutical and medical device sectors, with a total investment of 2.2 billion yuan ($306.7 million), were signed, injecting new momentum into the growth of the industry.

The projects will be located in the Feixiang Pharmaceutical Industrial Park, which has been transformed from a chemical park. The park, which focuses on green manufacturing, currently hosts a variety of facilities, including a safety and environmental protection intelligent management platform, an air and river monitoring system, a thermal power plant with an annual capacity of 1.5 million metric tons, a sewage treatment plant with a daily processing capacity of 2,000 cubic meters, and a hazardous waste disposal facility with an annual processing capacity of 12,000 tons.

"We will offer strong support for the projects in their construction and operation," said Ji Xiaoyang, deputy Party secretary of Fenghuang town, where the pharmaceutical park is located.

Teng Xiaonuo, chairman of Suzhou Womei Biology Co Ltd, said that in 2020, the company started operating in the Feixiang Pharmaceutical Industrial Park, attracted by Fenghuang town's location, business environment, and supporting policies.

The company has already completed the construction of its first production base, which covers an area of 6,000 square meters, and is working on the construction of the second production base, which spans 10,000 square meters. Womei is full of expectations for future development, said Teng.

The Zhangjiagang government will also prioritize support for the biopharmaceutical industry, particularly in the areas of generic drugs and medical devices. According to an official from the city's science and technology bureau, for newly developed products with promising industrial prospects, the highest subsidy available is 1 million yuan.