Recently, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology released the 2024 list of the top 50 national high-tech zones in comprehensive level of development. Three high-tech zones in Suzhou were on the list: Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP) which ranked 4th (same as last year), Suzhou New District (SND) which ranked 18th (up two places from last year), and Kunshan High-tech Zone which ranked 31st, (up one place from last year). And Changshu High-tech Zone moved up 5 spots to 57th on the list.
Suzhou has four national high-tech zones, ranking first in Jiangsu Province. Statistics show that the four national high-tech zones cover 1/10 of the city’s total land area, creating nearly 1/3 of the city’s GDP, 2/5 of the city’s high-tech industrial output value and 1/4 of the city’s total exports, and gathering 1/3 of the city’s high-tech enterprises.
To achieve the goal of developing into a world-class high-tech industrial park featuring openness and innovation, Suzhou Industrial Park has remained committed to openness and made great efforts to promote the integration of innovative and industrial resources and accelerate the development of new quality productive forces. In 2023, its total investment in research and development (R&D) accounted for 5.16% of GDP and the number of invention patents per 10,000 people reached 245. SIP took the first place for the 8th consecutive year in the examination and evaluation of the national-level economic development zones. Up to now, 85% of industrial enterprises above designated size in SIP have their own R&D institutes.
Suzhou New District has been striving to build a “2+3” modern industrial system. The output value of the two leading industries of new-generation information technology and high-end equipment manufacturing exceeds 100 billion yuan each, and the output value of the three emerging industries of new energy, photonic chips & integrated circuits, and medical devices & big health has maintained an average annual growth rate of more than 30 percent. It is expected that by the end of 2024, SND will have 3,313 scientific and technological SMEs, 1,874 high-tech enterprises, 339 “specialized, sophisticated, distinctive and innovative” enterprises, 404 gazelle enterprises and 68 unicorn enterprises and potential unicorn enterprises.
Aiming to build a demonstration zone of innovation-driven development and a pilot zone of high-quality development, Kunshan High-tech Zone has actively implemented the innovation-driven development strategy and continuously stimulated its innovation vitality and development momentum to enhance comprehensive strength and improve people’s wellbeing. In 2023, R&D investment accounted for 4.2% of the city’s GDP, and the output value of high-tech industries accounted for 71.3% of the total output value of industrial enterprises above designated size. Up to now, 93% of industrial enterprises above designated size have their own R&D institutes.
Changshu High-Tech Zone has been striving to promote the upgrading of the four leading industries of automobiles and key components, high-end equipment manufacturing, new-generation information technology, and modern service while fostering emerging industries such as new energy, healthcare, and new materials. It is expected that by the end of 2024, the high-tech zone will boast 44 unicorn and gazelle enterprises, 450 high-tech enterprises, 29 national-level “little giant” enterprises that use special and sophisticated technologies to produce novel and unique products., 480 scientific and technological SMEs, and 160 R&D institutes at the provincial level or above. The number of invention patents per 10,000 people reached 250 and the output value of high-tech enterprises accounted for 58% of the total output value of industrial enterprises above designated size.
