A panorama of Dishui Lake, a landmark in Nanhui new town. [Photo/lingang.gov.cn]

A groundbreaking ceremony was held on June 6 in Nanhui new town – located in the Lin-gang Special Area of the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone, in East China's Shanghai – for a raft of key projects that will cost 11.87 billion yuan ($1.78 billion), local media reported.

The 11 major projects cover such key fields as science and technology, commercial services, municipal transport, ecological construction and people's livelihoods.

After more than two months of a lockdown brought about by the COVID-19 outbreak, all the manufacturers in the Lin-gang Special Area have now resumed production and the resumption rate for key construction projects has reached 63.9 percent.

Nanhui is one of five new towns – along with Songjiang, Jiading, Qingpu and Fengxian – regarded as being key drivers that will help galvanize Shanghai's growth.

The building of Nanhui new town is one of the core development goals in the region. With a total area of 343 square kilometers, it makes up the majority of the Lin-gang Special Area.

Over the next five years, plans are for Nanhui to be developed into an international and futuristic town with high-quality industries, innovation strengths, digital systems and a living-friendly space.

Cranes get to work at Nanhui new town in June. [Photo/WeChat ID: shlgguanweihui]