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The taxable sales of the Rugao Economic and Technological Development Zone – located in Rugao city in East China's Jiangsu province – reached 32 billion yuan ($4.77 billion) in January to August this year, up 21.12 percent year-on-year, according to official data.

One of the main contributors was Bestway (Nantong) Recreation Corp. A subsidiary of Bestway Inflatables & Material Corp, it located in the development zone in 2008 and is the world's largest leisure and sports products manufacturing base.

The company has recently invested 1 billion yuan to expand its above-ground swimming pool factory there.

According to Wang Haiqing, general manager of the company, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, nowadays people are more likely to swim at home. He said the company's export orders for above-ground pool increased by 20 percent in the first eight months compared with the same period last year.

Times Textile Technology Co Ltd, also located in the development zone, generated 42 million yuan in tax revenue in the first eight months of the year.

Yang Min, general manager, said that the company had focused on lean production and precise use of space. Last year, the company was among the top 100 companies in China's clothing industry in terms of operating revenue, operating profit margins and total profit, Yang added.

Officials said Rugao Economic and Technological Development Zone is currently increasing recruitment drives for leading scientific and technological professionals and innovation teams to join key industries in the zone, according to officials.