Jiangsu Province is poised to spearhead China's next phase of economic modernization, as discussed during President Xi Jinping's engagement with delegates at the ongoing 14th National People's Congress. The province's unique blend of technological innovation and sustainable development strategy has positioned it as a national model for high-quality growth.
The Innovation Imperative
President Xi emphasized Jiangsu's critical role in advancing China's science and technology capabilities during the deliberation, calling for faster breakthroughs in core technologies. The province – home to 15% of China's national key laboratories – saw its high-tech industry contribute 49.9% of industrial output value in 2023.
Sector-Specific Progress
Wuxi Mayor Zhao Jianjun revealed the city's smart manufacturing initiatives: "Our integrated circuit industry output surpassed 200 billion yuan last year, with IoT cluster revenue growing 9% annually." Meanwhile, Jiangsu's science bureau chief highlighted plans to accelerate commercialization of 50 major research achievements in 2024.
Grassroots Governance Innovations
A Lianyungang community worker shared successful poverty alleviation models combining digital governance platforms with neighborhood mutual-aid systems. Jiangsu's urban-rural income gap has narrowed to 2.07:1 – significantly below the national average of 2.45:1.
With 4.79 million market entities and $83.85 billion in 2023 foreign trade, Jiangsu's development roadmap offers insights into China's broader economic transition priorities ahead of crucial policy announcements at this year's legislative sessions.
