An aerial view of Nantong. [Photo provided to nantong.gov.cn]

Nantong in East China's Jiangsu province has set a goal of becoming a high-level innovative city by 2024, according to the recently published three-year action plan.

By 2024, there will be 142 researchers per 10,000 employees and 3,600 high-tech enterprises in Nantong. Its average ownership of invention patents per 10,000 people is expected to stand at 60 or more the same year.

The proportion of new product sales revenue to main operating revenue for industrial enterprises with more than 20 million yuan ($2.88 million) of annual main operating revenue is expected to reach 46 percent, and the turnover of these enterprises' technical contracts will exceed 35 billion yuan three years later.

To achieve these goals, local authorities will improve the management system for scientific and technological innovation and supporting policies, continue to increase fiscal investment, and cultivate more innovative and entrepreneurial talent.

Universities and research institutes in Nantong will be encouraged to invest more in research to build some academic disciplines into the best in Jiangsu or even all of China.

Nantong will accelerate the construction of technological innovation centers, public technology service platforms, and more research institutions over the following years.

Local authorities will encourage enterprises to undertake programs involving core technologies and the commercialization of research findings and incentivize them to establish and improve their strategic plans on intellectual property rights.

The city will also step up efforts to cooperate with Shanghai, integrate into Southern Jiangsu and help innovative high-tech enterprises go public.

In addition, technical research and application in medical care and agriculture will be encouraged by local authorities.