High-tech companies sign agreements for intelligent manufacturing projects in Hefei National High-tech Industry Development Zone. [Photo from WeChat account hefeigaoxinfabu]

A signing ceremony for 36 projects worth $1.73 billion -- covering the whole industrial chain involved in intelligent manufacturing -- was held in Hefei National High-tech Industry Development Zone on Sept 20.

The projects featured advanced technologies with broad market prospects, officials said.

They included a new headquarters for high-tech enterprise KV Group and a product development project for Rayton Technology Co, one of the first listed companies on the new Shanghai tech board.

Officials said the projects would help integrate smart technologies with the existing manufacturing sector -- and would also inject strong vitality into the development of the intelligent manufacturing industry in the city.

The zone has also cooperated with a global alliance of small and medium sized enterprises, or SMEs, to host a forum on the sustainable development of the advanced manufacturing industry on the same day.

More than 300 attendees at the forum -- including government officials, industrial insiders and enterprises representatives -- discussed how to upgrade the manufacturing industry and future trends.

Committed to an innovation-driven development strategy, the zone has attracted more than 260 new high-end projects that are serving the rapid development of high-tech industries.

Officials said the zone is also improving its policy environment to attract more investment from intelligent manufacturing enterprises.