The Jiading district of Shanghai and the cities of Kunshan and Taicang in Jiangsu province are geographically close to each other. Often referred to as "Jia-Kun-Tai", they are making massive contributions to the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region.
In 2022, the area saw its combined GDP exceed 940 billion yuan ($129.14 billion), with the total output value of industries above designated size in the region surpassing 1.9 trillion yuan. The area is also home to more than 6,200 high-tech companies.
In 2018, the integrated development of the YRD region was upgraded to a national strategy, further enhancing the growth of the Jia-Kun-Tai area.
One example is Shanghai Metro Line 11, which was extended to Kunshan in 2013. It is also the first inter-provincial metro line in China.
Taicang is home to many German companies, which have an annual industrial output of more than 60 billion yuan. The auto parts industry has become the backbone of the city's economy.
"We found out that 30 percent of Taicang's companies have an upstream or downstream relationship with firms in Shanghai. The two cities are much more closely connected than many people think," said Wan Fenqi, director of Taicang's development and reform commission.
The GDP of Kunshan in the "Jia-Kun-Tai" area exceeded 500 billion yuan in 2022, topping China's counties for the 18th year in a row. Such achievements would not be possible without its integrated development with Shanghai.
For Jiading district, the area's integration has brought many benefits as well.
The resources in one single district are limited, and companies will choose where to do business based on local market rules. For example, one auto parts giant kept its headquarters and R&D and sales units in Jiading district, but has set up its production base in Taicang, said Guan Hongmei, director of the district's development and reform commission.
Jiading district is building a world-class automotive center and deploying a series of cutting-edge industries such as intelligent networked vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
As the integrated development of the YRD region continues apace, the Jia-Kun-Tai area is expected to further expand and thrive in the future.