Hai'an, a county-level city in Nantong, Jiangsu province, ranked 23rd among China's top 100 counties in 2023, according to the latest report released by CCID Consulting on July 25.

The achievement was the result of the county's efforts to promote high-quality development.

In 2022, Hai'an made significant progress in its economic and social development, achieving a regional GDP of 137.98 billion yuan ($19.28 billion), ranking 11th among all counties in Jiangsu.

Hai'an has also made significant advancements in industrial development, ranking 17th in the national list of top 100 industrial counties.

According to a report, the GDP of China's county-level regions increased from 33.1 trillion yuan in 2016 to 43.2 trillion yuan in 2021.

Coastal areas in East China had the largest number of counties make the list, including 23 counties or county-level cities in Jiangsu — the most in the country — along with 16 counties in Zhejiang and 13 counties in Shandong.

An aerial view of Hai'an in Nantong, East China's Jiangsu province. [Photo/WeChat account: hafbwx]