During a press conference on October 9, Feng Kejin, the Director of the Anhui Province Department of Industry and Information Technology, provided an enlightening overview of the province’s strides in industrial reform and high-quality manufacturing development.
“Earlier this year, we saw 2,901 projects, each with over 100 million yuan in funding from investments in Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang, leading to an actual investment of 440.27 billion yuan—a substantial increase of 20.6%. This represents 64.8% of all external investment projects in the province,” Feng reported. He stressed that Anhui is taking advantage of significant strategic opportunities, particularly through its integration into the Yangtze River Delta, to foster a market-driven, law-compliant, and top-notch business environment.
Feng indicated that since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and more so after the 20th Congress, Anhui’s industrial system has implemented a range of reforms designed to nurture specialized and innovative enterprises, enhance the digital transformation of manufacturing, and improve land efficiency. These initiatives have significantly propelled the province’s industrial growth and transformed four key areas of manufacturing.
One noteworthy shift, according to Feng, is the transition from being a landlocked region to embracing an open economy. “Anhui is actively engaging in the dual process of opening up its manufacturing sector and reforming to simplify administration while enhancing services. We’ve completely removed all foreign investment restrictions in manufacturing, and we’re implementing policies aimed specifically at optimizing the business environment for high-quality growth in the private sector,” he explained. He highlighted the establishment of mechanisms that ensure immediate benefits from policy incentives, the launch of ten initiatives under the “Empowering Enterprises” program, and the development of a comprehensive online and offline service network for businesses.
“Supportive policies, efficient services, and a conducive environment are creating an exciting landscape for both local and foreign investors to connect with us,” Feng noted. For example, over the past seven years, the World Manufacturing Conference has been conducted at a high level, resulting in 4,326 projects signed and over 1.5 trillion yuan in actual investments. In just the first half of this year, the investments from Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang have fueled 2,901 ongoing projects in Anhui, culminating in a total investment of 440.27 billion yuan.
Additionally, the province has shifted significantly from an agriculture-centric economy to an industrial powerhouse. From January to August of this year, Anhui’s industrial output value increased by 8.4%, outpacing the national average by 2.6 percentage points, positioning the province fifth nationally in this category.
