SUZHOU, China, Apr. 28, 2025 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/-- On April 26, the 2025 Suzhou Global Investment Conference was held, with over 1,200 business elites from global Fortune 500 companies, multinational corporations, and unicorn enterprises in attendance. During the event, a total of 417 projects, with an aggregate investment of 341.57 billion yuan, were signed on-site.

Suzhou, in E China's Jiangsu Province, is one of the cities with the most foreign investment and the highest concentration of foreign-funded enterprises. The city is home to 14 national-level development zones, 19,000 foreign enterprises, and 178 Fortune 500 companies, which have invested in nearly 500 projects, contributing a total of 167 billion USD in actual foreign investment. Suzhou has been steadily expanding its institutional openness in areas such as rules, regulations, management, and standards. Suzhou is deepening its pilot program for the open innovation of the entire biopharmaceutical industry chain. It has introduced China's first "white list" for the importation of materials for biopharmaceutical R&D, cutting customs clearance times by 70%.

To attract global capital, Suzhou continues to expand its open innovation capabilities on platforms such as China-Singapore, China-Germany, China-Japan, and the cross-strait cooperation framework. For example, Suzhou Industrial Park has maintained its position as the top national-level economic development zone for nine consecutive years, and its county-level city, Taicang, has been deepening its cooperation with Germany.

Currently, there are approximately 30,000 foreign residents in Suzhou. The opening of the Foreign Resident Service Center provides 21 services, supported by a professional English-speaking team and a 24-hour AI-powered government services assistant. For instance, Philipp Zorn, an expat who has been in Taicang for over six months, received assistance from staff in applying for the "City Honor Card." This card, which integrates financial, medical, transportation, and other services, has greatly facilitated his work and life.

A favorable business environment and professional services are key factors in attracting foreign investment to Suzhou. The city has established a comprehensive service system that covers the entire lifecycle of foreign enterprises, offering an international consumer experience and all-around support for residents' daily needs, ensuring that "investing in Suzhou is investing in the future." Source: 2025 Suzhou Global Investment Promotion Conference (Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with Asianet and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.). PTI PWR PWR