ZJM Environmental Energy Co, a subsidiary of Wuchan Zhongda Group, completed its initial public offering (IPO) on the Shanghai Stock Exchange on Dec 16, becoming the 600th Zhejiang-based company to be listed on the A-share market.

It took three years for the number of Zhejiang-based A-share listed companies to grow from 400 to 500, but only one year and two months for the figure to increase from 500 to 600.

Zhejiang is the second Chinese province after Guangdong to be home to at least 600 A-share listed companies.

Many Zhejiang-based A-share listed companies were pioneers in their respective industries that embraced the capital market to realize rapid development. For example, China Shaoxing Yellow Rice Wine Group, Zhejiang Jiaxin Silk Co, Pandairy, Sunchat Technology, and Zhang Xiaoquan Inc were respectively the first manufacturers of yellow wine, silk products, condensed milk, chopsticks, and scissors to list on China's stock exchanges.

As of Dec 16, the provincial capital of Hangzhou was home to 196 A-share listed companies, followed by Ningbo (107), Shaoxing (73), Taizhou (61), Jiaxing (50), Jinhua (35), Huzhou (33), Wenzhou (28), Quzhou (10), Lishui (5), and Zhoushan (2).

Representatives from Zhang Xiaoquan Inc strike the bell to mark the company's listing on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange on Sept 6.[Photo/zj.zjol.com.cn]