On the morning of January 6, Mayor Han Liming visited the China (Jiangsu) Pilot Free Trade Zone Nanjing Area to inspect the development of digital finance, high-tech and bio-pharm enterprises and presided over the work meeting. Municipal leaders Luo Qun, Shen Jianrong, Liu Zhiwei, Zhou Jinliang, Wang Wei, Secretary General of Nanjing Municipal People’s Government Wu Wei, and leaders of the Jiangbei New Area Administrative Committee Li Baoping, Chen Chenmei, Lin Qikun, and Gao Guhe attended the meeting.

At the Nanjing Institute of Digital Finance Industry, the delegation headed by Han Liming learned about the operation mode of the Yangtze River Digital Finance Innovation Center. Dedicated to developing digital technologies to serve digital finance and digital economy, the institute piloted the Yangtze River Digital Finance Innovation Center using blockchain and other technologies, explored the transformation of physical assets into digital warrants, and promoted digitization of enterprise assets. It took the lead to connect Jiangsu’s blockchain-based equity trading platform with the central supervision chain by the CSRC (China Securities Regulatory Commission) to advance innovation in supervision and enhance security in financial innovation.

Nanjing Nanotech Research Institute is a new-type high-tech incubation platform introduced and supported by Nanjing Municipal People’s Government in 2019. With focus on the fields of new generation information technology, intelligent consumption and healthcare, it is a provider of the world’s top micro/nano processing and device integration technologies and products. Currently, it also runs the International Micro and Nano Technological Innovation Alliance. The fluorescent molecular imaging surgical navigation system of the institute is the world’s first NIR-II surgical navigation system, which is used for accurate detection during tumor resection surgeries. Han Liming said that the Area should boost scientific and technological innovation with funding and provide all-round services to facilitate the commercialization of scientific and technological innovation achievements.

Nanjing Shineking Biotech Co., Ltd, founded by professors of Nanjing Tech University, is one of the earliest domestic enterprises to produce y-polyglutamic acid by microbial fermentation. “How is the company doing? What are the main businesses?” Han Liming asked when visiting the factory. Committed to providing quality products and services in agriculture and healthcare with biotech, Shineking Biotech is engaged in the development of biological auxiliaries and biological agents, ranging from plant nutrition (bio-stimulants), cosmetic products (raw materials), to animal nutrition (feed additives). It was listed among the Cultivated Unicorn Enterprises of Nanjing in 2020.

During the work meeting, delegates from the Jiangbei New Area (Pilot Free Trade Zone Nanjing Area) reported on the progress of major projects in 2020, the performance of the Pilot Free Trade Zone and the work plan for 2021. In 2020, the area directly under the administration of the Jiangbei New Area registered a GDP of over RMB 210 billion, maintaining a growth rate more than 5 percentage points higher than the city’s average. The number of high-tech enterprises exceed 1,000, a net increase of nearly 300. 25 new research institutions were filed with municipal authorities, and 5 enterprises were listed on the stock market. A number of domestic pioneering science and technology innovation platforms such as Nanjing IC University have been put into use. 106 of the 113 reform tasks at the provincial level have been implemented, and 121 of the 141 reform measures under the “1+9” policy system at the municipal level have taken effect. More than 100 reform and innovation measures of all types have been launched, generating 70 institutional innovation achievements, more than 70% of which are groundbreaking in Jiangsu and even nationwide.

In 2021, the Jiangbei New Area (Pilot Free Trade Zone Nanjing Area) will strengthen efforts in the improvement of innovation capabilities, pillar industries, reform and opening up, city image, and people’s livelihood, accelerate the construction of independent innovation systems, promote institutional innovation, boost urban and transportation construction, enhance the quality of education and healthcare, and improve governance system at the primary level, so as to speed up the construction of a new, modernized and high quality central urban area.

As for future industrial development, Han Liming said that the Area should follow the guiding principles of the fifth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important instructions on the development of Jiangsu during his inspection tour and the principles of the Central Economic Work Conference, and map out the blueprint for its development during the “14th Five-Year Plan” period in a scientific and practical approach. As a state-level new area, Jiangbei New Area should make contributions to the fulfillment of the important mission of Jiangsu in setting an example in reform, innovation and high-quality development and in building a new development paradigm, and taking the lead in achieving socialist modernization.

The Area will take the lead to become a new growth engine for Nanjing’s high-quality development. It will build strength in open innovation and outperform other districts in economic aggregate and main economic indicators, promote the construction of a number of leading projects, and enhance the level of project construction and development. Solid progress will be made in the development and innovation of the pilot free trade zone. Taking its unique advantages as a state-level new area and a pilot free trade zone, drawing on the advanced experience of Shanghai in institutional innovation, the Area will further enhance innovation capabilities, deliver more innovation results and foster interconnected innovation. It will push forward the development of the pilot free trade zone based on the rule of law, create a sound business environment for the high-quality development within the Area, and provide efficient legal services and forceful judicial guarantees. The Area will establish a training platform for people with talent in line with its development goals, improve the training system and mechanism, and foster a talent pool in every field. The Area will take well-targeted steps towards building the Two Towns and One Center (a gene town, a chip town and a new finance center). An organization chain of life and health industry will be established to make breakthroughs in key core technologies, put the achievements of Jiangsu’s health and medical big data center into good use, build strength in specific fields, and enhance industrial influence and market competitiveness. Following the law of development, it will make a head start in industrial development and foster an industrial cluster of integrated circuit. It will develop the new financial industry with great resolve, cultivate fintech industry with distinctive characteristics, and strives to build a pilot zone for deepening reform in integration of S&T and finance and a digital currency pilot zone.

The Area will speed up efforts in the development of the new central urban area. The construction of Nanjing North Railway Station, expressway along the northern bank of the Yangtze River, Heyan Road, Yangtze River-crossing tunnels, and other transportation projects will be beefed up. In terms of the construction of landmark buildings, the Area will give top priority to quality and launch projects that will withstand the test of time. It will give full play to the functions of landmark buildings such as libraries and art galleries in various forms, introduce high-quality educational and medical resources, ensure basic public services, accumulate more experience in social governance, and enhance people’s sense of happiness and satisfaction.

Regular epidemic prevention and control measures will be implemented. The Area will carry out solid work to contain the virus in winter and spring, improve the urban safety governance system, and ensure stable market supply, so as to take a head start in development for 2021.

Luo Qun said the Area will adhere to innovation-driven industrial development, with industrial development nurturing scientific and technological innovation. It will improve the innovation ecosystem, connect innovation resources, accelerate industrial clustering, and smooth the commercialization of technological innovation achievements to become a dynamic growth engine and main contributor to Nanjing’s high-quality development. Meanwhile, the Areas should strengthen efforts in Covid-19 containment and ensure regular measures are in place.