The original Zhang Wenhui Wang Lichen country is a through train.
From a large agricultural county to the "hometown of German enterprises".
If you open the column丨"There's something in this city".
Cities are the centers of economic activities, an important driving force for high-quality development, and the most dynamic factor in the economy.
From now on, China News Service will launch the original planning column "There is something in this city", which will work with readers to explore the highlights and stories of various cities in economic development, and explore excellent experiences and cases in urban construction and innovation, in order to provide some thoughts and references for the exploration and practice of enhancing new momentum for high-quality development with new quality productivity.
Germany is one of the most developed countries in Europe, and it is very selective about who and where to cooperate with investment. The fact that so many German companies have settled in Taicang today is enough to prove that there is a special 'magic' here. Talking about his hometown of Taicang, Yao Peisheng, who was China's ambassador to Kazakhstan, Ukraine and other countries, said in an interview with the "There is something in this city" column of China News Service.
At the end of January this year, the total number of German companies in Taicang, Jiangsu Province, officially increased to 500. From the first German company to the 100th, it took 14 years for Taicang; And from the 400th to the 500th, it took just over two years. What is the "magic" of Taicang to attract German enterprises to settle down?
From the former "wharf of six countries and the granary of the world" to the gathering place of today's high-end manufacturing industry, what experience can the "Taicang model" learn from?
Take the initiative to integrate into the international county.
In 2023, the output value of 1,265 industrial enterprises above designated size in Taicang will reach 321 billion yuan, and the output value of the four major industries of high-end equipment, advanced materials, aerospace and biomedicine will account for 75% of the output value above the designated size5%, the output value of auto parts enterprises above the designated size increased by 7% year-on-year, and it was rated as a five-star demonstration base of the national new industrialization industry; The innovation momentum has been accelerated, and it has been shortlisted for the construction of national innovative counties (cities), ranking second among the top 100 counties in scientific and technological innovation; The optimization of the three industries has been accelerated, the construction of the all-for-one tourism system has been accelerated, and the Alps International Resort and 72 ideal villages have been opened.
If you're not familiar with Taicang, it's hard to imagine that it's just a county-level city managed by Suzhou.
Taicang has shown a big picture in its development. Yan Xiaohong, former president and professor of Jiangsu University, pointed out in an interview with the "There is something in this city" column of China News Service that Taicang did not trap itself in the model of a small county, but actively integrated into the large cycle of the international market economic system.
According to the latest report on the modernization development level of counties in Jiangsu Province, Taicang City ranked third in the overall evaluation results of counties in Jiangsu Province, up one place from last year. Not only that, Taicang also ranks among the top 100 counties in China for high-quality development.
6. It is the seventh among the top 100 counties in China in terms of comprehensive strength, and has ranked first in the list of the happiest cities (county-level cities) in China for eight consecutive years.
Source: "Taicang Release" WeChat***
When I was young, the scenery of small bridges and flowing water, fish and shrimp groups has always left a deep memory; Today, the sight of buildings and roads is pleasing to the eye. Yao Peisheng, who served as China's ambassador to the foreign world for many years, now returns to Taicang every year, and the change in his hometown is undoubtedly huge for him. Yao Peisheng said that the current Taicang can be called an idyllic area, with both the basic temperature of a modern city and the attractive scenery of a modern countryside. Small and beautiful, slow and leisurely, beautiful and fine, quiet and elegant".
According to data, as of the beginning of 2023, the green coverage rate of the built-up area in Taicang City has reached 40%; The coverage rate of the "ten-minute service circle" of parks and green spaces has reached 97%; The rivers in the territory are dense, the ponds cross vertically and horizontally, and there are 4110 large and small rivers with a total length of 42134 km.
To attract foreign investment, Taicang has a hand.
Source: "Taicang Release" WeChat***
Behind the excellent "report card", we have to mention Taicang's foreign cooperation, especially the results of cooperation with Germany.
In the industrial park, rows of German machinery rumble; In the German-style hut with red brick and white walls and tower spires on the banks of the Xinliu River on the Haihai Embankment, Chinese and German friends drank beer together and ...... pork knuckle and sausagesThis is a German company's impression of Taicang.
In 1993, Kern-Liebers (Taicang)** settled in Taicang, a small city in the south of the Yangtze River, which opened the prelude to Sino-German cooperation in Taicang. At present, there are more than 500 German enterprises in Taicang, and Taicang has become one of the most intensive and best-developed areas for German enterprises in China, with an average output value of 14 million yuan per mu. More than half of the German enterprises in Taicang have carried out localized R&D and innovation, and more than 90% of the German enterprises settled in the early stage have completed capital increase and production expansion.
At present, the overall global cross-border investment is weak, and many developing countries and emerging economies are easing investment restrictions, and the competition for investment is very fierce. It is no accident that Taicang can still have such outstanding results.
Zhang Chunlong, director of the Institute of Social Policy of the Jiangsu Academy of Social Sciences and executive vice president of the Jiangsu Institute of Regional Modernization, pointed out in an interview with the "There is something in this city" column of China News Service's Guoshi Express that there are four main reasons why Taicang can attract so many German companies to settle down.
First, it has historical origins. Germany has a long history with China, and German companies' interest in the Chinese market dates back decades. Due to its geographical location close to Shanghai, Taicang has become one of the first choices for foreign companies. The early German companies that entered Taicang, such as some machinery manufacturers and auto parts manufacturers, have achieved success in the local area, which has attracted more German companies to pay attention and consider investing in Taicang.
Source: "Taicang Release" WeChat***
The second is the attraction of industrial chain clusters. With the participation of more and more German companies, Taicang has formed a strong chain and industrial cluster, especially in the field of machinery manufacturing and automotive parts. This clustering effect helps all businesses reduce costs, increase efficiency, and facilitate collaboration.
The third is the best attraction policy. Taicang** offers a series of preferential policies to attract foreign investment, including tax incentives, land policies, and a simplified administrative approval process, which provides a favorable investment environment for German companies. "Taicang has done a lot of work in serving foreign-funded enterprises, providing enterprises with a full range of 'nanny services', from enterprise registration, construction approval to operation stage services, all strive to be efficient and convenient. Zhang Chunlong said.
Fourth, continuous cultural exchanges. As more and more German companies and individuals settle in Taicang, a German community has been formed. This not only provides cultural and linguistic support for new German companies, but also provides a home-like environment for Germans living in China.
How to learn from the "Taicang model"?
As a gathering place for high-end manufacturing, the 'Taicang model' can play a good role model for Jiangsu Province. Yan Xiaohong said that in addition to attracting a large number of German enterprises to build factories, the development of private enterprises in Taicang is also at the forefront of Jiangsu Province.
So, can the "Taicang model" be replicated and popularized throughout the country? What are the implications for the development of the county?
Zhang Chunlong believes that Taicang, as an economically strong county positioned as a high-end manufacturing cluster, has a series of successful experiences, such as optimizing the business environment, taking advantage of its location, introducing foreign investment, policy support, and industrial upgrading. This model has been a considerable success, but there are several factors to consider when discussing whether it can be universalized across the country:
The first is the location factor. Taicang's close proximity to Shanghai and its unique geographical advantages cannot be replicated for inland counties far from the coast or large cities.
The second is the stage of economic development. The economic development stage and industrial base of different regions are quite different, and the success of Taicang is largely due to its accumulation on the basis of manufacturing and other industries, and other regions need to customize their development strategies according to their own characteristics.
The third is the coordination mechanism. With the help of the industrial chain, Taicang closely cooperates with Shanghai and surrounding cities, and enjoys the advantages and integration benefits of the best chain may not be realized in regionally isolated cities. Zhang Chunlong emphasized that although the Taicang model has its remarkable successes, its popularization across the country needs to be adapted and adjusted locally. Other regions can learn from Taicang's experience, that is, pay attention to the development of the manufacturing industry, optimize the business environment, and formulate localized industrial development strategies based on their own actual conditions. By adapting and adopting some elements of the Taicang model according to local conditions, it may help to promote the economic development of other regions, especially those with a weak manufacturing base.
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Original title: "Why can a county-level city allow 500 German companies to settle down?|There's something about the city