Hai'an is leveraging technological innovation to drive new quality productive forces and optimize its economic structure, focusing on integrating technology and industry. From January to August 2024, Hai'an's industrial sales reached 171.48 billion yuan ($24.27), reflecting an 11.1 percent year-on-year growth.

Hai'an is focusing on attracting new technology-driven projects to enhance industrial development, targeting innovation hubs in the Yangtze River Delta and Pearl River Delta regions. The city facilitates investment by fostering partnerships with research institutions and creating pathways for technology commercialization.

Since last year, Haian has partnered with institutions like the Chinese Academy of Sciences and top universities, including Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Nanjing University, resulting in 236 cooperative projects and over 100 million yuan invested.

In artificial intelligence and healthcare, Hai'an has made strategic moves, such as establishing the Hai'an Industrial Solid Waste Resource Research and Development Center, led by renowned academician Yu Aibing. This institution is helping local enterprises adopt cutting-edge technologies for digital, intelligent, and green upgrades.

Hai'an now boasts 551 high-tech enterprises and 817 registered technology-oriented SMEs, with more than 150 provincial-level research platforms. The city ranked 14th on the 2024 list of China's top 100 counties for competitiveness in industrial research and development.

With a focus on productivity efficiency, Hai'an has updated its talent policies six times over the past 15 years, ensuring comprehensive support for talent retention. Furthermore, Hai'an is backing the transformation of traditional industries through policies like its 2024 initiative supporting digital and intelligent upgrades.