Jiangsu - Changshu Export Processing Zone (Changshu EPZ)

Changshu Export Processing Zone (Changshu EPZ)

Facts and Figures (2007)

Source: Administration Committee of Changshu Export Processing Zone

Introduction

The Changshu Export Processing Zone (Changshu EPZ) is located in the Changshu Economic and Technological Development Zone, and won approval for the status of state-level development zone from the State Council in 2005. It covers a planned area of 0.94 km². Operation commenced in December, 2006. Changshu EPZ is 80 km from Shanghai to the east, and extends 45 km from Suzhou to the south.

In terms of transport, Changshu EPZ is close to Changshu Port, one of China’s top 10 inland river ports. Additionally, the Shanghai-Changzhou-Zhenjiang Railway, the Shanghai-Nanjing Railway and the Suzhou-Jiading-Hangzhou Highway all run across the zone, while the Shanghai-Changshu-Nanjing Highway is a mere 12 km away. Although the Changzhou Airport offers only six domestic airlines, the Shanghai Pudong International Airport and Shanghai Hongqiao Airport are within an hour-and-a-half’s drive.

Investment Climate

Major industries encouraged in Changshu EPZ include the production of electronic appliances, auto parts, precision machinery, equipment manufacturing, new construction materials and bio-pharmaceuticals. The enterprises in the zone enjoy the similar preferential policies such as permit exemption, tax exemption, protective tariffs and tax refunds to other state-level export processing zones.

By the end of 2007, Changshu EPZ had attracted, in total, six investment projects, the foreign investments of which accumulated to US$52.6 million. The total registered capitals of the projects amounted to US$23.6 million. The foreign trade value surpassed US$16 million in 2007.

The U.S.-based company FMC Technologies, a firm specializing in oil, food and aviation-machinery industries, launched its first project in Changzhou with an initial investment value of US$5 million in 2006. The project is mainly for the export processing of equipment and instruments. Another U.S.-based firm, Swagelok Corp, a leading fluid-system manufacturer across the globe, agreed to invest a total of US$25 million in a precision valve- and installation parts-producing line in the zone.