City Introduction of Jiangsu, China: Kunshan

Major Economic Indicators (2007)

Source: Kunshan Economic and Social Development Report 2007

Introduction

Kunshan, situated in the Yangtze River Delta, is under the jurisdiction of Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province. Wujiang lies to its west while Taichang and Changsu are to the east. Jiading and Qingpu districts of Shanghai are its southeastern neighbors. The journey from there to Suzhou or Shanghai takes only half an hour. It is rich in water resources, with water bodies taking up nearly 30% of the city's land area.

Kunshan benefits from its position along the route of the Beijing-Shanghai Railway, Shanghai-Nanjing Highway, Suzhou-Shanghai Expressway and 312 State Highway. Kunshan's railway links it with other cities in China. Though it lacks its own airport, the airports in Shanghai are within an hour’s drive; it is only 42 km from Shanghai Hongqiao Airport and 92 km from Shanghai Pudong International Airport.

The waterway transport system is also convenient. It is 60 km from Shanghai Port, the largest port in China in terms of cargo throughput and container throughput in 2007. Taichang Port, the major collection and distribution center for imported timber and wood products from Russia, is 40 km from the city.

Economic Features

In 2007, Kunshan's GDP amounted to RMB 115.2 billion, ranking first among all the county-level cities in China, up 20.5% year-on-year. The GDP per capita exceeded RMB 101,000, even higher than that of Shanghai.

The industrial output in Kunshan has surpassed RMB 403 billion, a sharp rise of 30.7% year-on-year. The foreign-funded enterprises play an important role in the city's economy, which generated nearly RMB 361 billion industrial output last year, accounting for 89.6% of the city's total.

After years of development, Kunshan has established itself as one of the world's most important IT industrial bases. In 2007, the enterprises with designated size and above there have produced 32.2 million laptops and 12.8 million digital cameras, contributing over one third and one eighth of the world's total output respectively. OEM computer and digital camera giants such as Compal, Acer, Foxconn and Altek have set up production lines in Kunshan, The industrial output from its IT industry has soared 29.1% year-on-year to RMB 189.9 billion, accounting for over one fourth of Jiangsu Province's total.

The foreign trade value rose 25% from a year earlier to US$53.4 billion in 2007, making up 15.3% of Jiangsu Province's total. Its major foreign trade partners are the US, Taiwan and Japan. Kunshan has attracted about US$3 billion FDI, up 19.4% year-on-year, while the utilized FDI amounted to US$1.3 billion, up 22.7% year-on-year. The city is known as "Small Taipei" as it has attracted about 3,000 Taiwanese firms, with total investment exceeding US$40 billion.

Situated within half an hour of Shanghai Economic circle, Kunshan benefits from its proximity to Shanghai.. Kunshan is often called the tenth district of Shanghai as the fast development of the city is largely dependent on Shanghai. Kunshan is an export-orientated economy. Non-state-owned and controlled businesses account for 97% of the city’s economy.

Cultural Highlights

Kunqu (Kun Opera), China’s renowned ancient opera style, originated in Kunshan. Kunqu was called the “father of all operas” in China and originally appeared in Kunshan in the 1350s.

Tourist Attractions

Kunqu Opera Museum, situated at No.1 Maanshan East Road, offers tourists the opportunity to learn about the diverse kinds of Kun Opera and its history. Zhouzhuang and Jinxi are two towns worth sightseeing. Zhouzhuang is a famous water town in southeast China, while Jinxi Town, 23 km from Kunshan city, which has over 2000 years of history, features a Chinese folk museum. The two most famous dishes in Kunshan are Ao Zao Noodles, which was granted the name by Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty, and Yangcheng Lake Crab.

Major Development Zones

There are two state-level development zones in Kunshan; namely Kunshan Economic and Technological Development Zone and Kunshan Export Processing Zone.