A bird's-eye view of Nantong. [Photo provided by Xu Congjun to en.nantong.gov.cn]

More than 150 guests, including officials from consulates and embassies in Shanghai, as well as representatives from foreign business associations and Fortune 500 companies, recently convened in Shanghai to discuss mutual development with Nantong, Jiangsu province.

Mayor Zhang Tong said that Nantong is accelerating the development of platforms dedicated to technological innovation, service trade, and industrial growth, while also exploring new systems to facilitate foreign investment, all with the goal of creating more opportunities for foreign companies to succeed in Nantong.

Openness and collaboration are core to Nantong's identity, and the city aims to become the top choice for multinational companies seeking to enhance their productivity. The mayor also urged consular officials, business associations, and professional organizations to help promote Nantong.

Craig Allen, a senior advisor at the Cohen Group and former president of the US-China Business Council, has long been committed to promoting US-China economic cooperation and regional development in China. In his speech, he praised Nantong as a model of open and pragmatic cooperation. He said that Nantong's strong industrial foundation and thriving clusters in high-end manufacturing, biopharmaceuticals, and textiles are rooted in the robust cooperative ecosystem between government and businesses.

Looking ahead, he hopes that more multinational corporations will embrace a long-term growth mindset and make strategic choices to capitalize on Nantong's exceptional resources. He said that by platforms like business councils, industry associations, and consulting firms, these companies can inspire and guide other enterprises to expand confidently and effectively in Nantong.

During the conference, cooperation agreements were signed for 15 projects, including those involving semiconductor materials, precision parts for marine engines, and high-voltage transformers.