Zhangjiagang held a conference to advance new-type industrialization on Jan 4, with over 200 enterprises in attendance, to chart a course for future development. The gathering aimed to accelerate the city's industrial transformation by focusing on cutting-edge sectors such as artificial intelligence (AI), new energy storage, commercial aerospace, and low-altitude economy.
An aerial view of Zhangjiagang. [Photo/VCG]
During the conference, Zhangjiagang unveiled a "4+4" key industrial chain technology breakthrough list, identifying 31 areas for focused technological advancement. The Jiangsu future industry pilot development cluster (hydrogen energy) was officially inaugurated, and a smart hydrogen public data platform was launched.
Since its designation as a pilot city for hydrogen energy development last year, Zhangjiagang has made significant strides in building a robust hydrogen energy industry chain. The city is now home to over 40 hydrogen-related enterprises, with an annual hydrogen production capacity of 200,000 metric tons.
Zhangjiagang plans to prioritize hydrogen energy as a cornerstone of its future industrial strategy, aiming to establish a competitive hydrogen energy industrial cluster in the Yangtze River Delta region. The city has set a target to achieve a 5 percent growth in its new energy industry output by 2025.
To further bolster its industrial base, Zhangjiagang will focus on four key tasks in the new year: equipment upgrades, technological transformation, intelligent and digital transformation, and capacity expansion.
Zhangjiagang's dedication to industrial advancement has already yielded impressive results. In the first eleven months of last year, investment in emerging industries accounted for 51.23 percent of the city's total fixed-asset investment – the highest proportion in Suzhou and a 4.86 percentage point increase year-on-year.
Further highlighting its progress, Zhangjiagang added eight companies to the national list of "5G Factories" last year, representing one-third of Suzhou's total additions. Additionally, four new companies were recognized as provincial intelligent manufacturing demonstration factories.
The city's thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem, with over 1,200 companies founded by talents, has emerged as a key driver of its new-type industrialization. This vibrant talent pool has fostered the growth of numerous successful enterprises, contributing to 23 percent of the city's national "little giant" companies and 67 percent of its provincial-level unicorn enterprises.