Technicians check the steady high magnetic field facility in Hefei, Anhui province, Sept 27, 2017. [Photo by Liu Junxi/Xinhua]

Hefei's respect for scientific personnel and its vibrant and innovative culture have also moved BOE, a promising company once trapped in huge financial stress, with  intensive research and development (R&D) investment in 2008. 

The past 10 years have seen the company invigorated with expertise in intelligent interface products. A semiconductor display production line, the largest of its kind in the world, has also taken shape amid its rapid development. 

Nowadays, Hefei has become home to various automobile, photovoltaic and integrated circuit companies, all with increasing international reputations. 

The trend for innovation has also nurtured Hefei's economic growth. Since 2012, local GDP and public revenue have realized annual increases of 10.1 and 12.5 percent. Hefei now plays a pivotal role in cities around the Yangtze River Delta region, one of the most well-off areas in China, and its overall competence has also overshadowed many other provincial capitals.