About Taicang

Overview

Taicang is a county-level city under the jurisdiction of Suzhou, in Jiangsu Province. Located along the Yangtze river northwest of Shanghai, Taicang benefits from a strong geographical location, solid economic foundation, and a comfortable living environment. Often described as the “Beautiful Golden City in the Southern Yangtze”, its history spans over 4,500 years, from the birthplace of Loudong culture to the starting point of Zheng He’s voyages to the West.

Economy

Taicang demonstrates strong economic performance among the cities surrounding Shanghai. Its 2018 GDP was 19.8 Billion USD, higher than most tier-one cities in China.

Industry

From a history in agricultural produce such as rice and livestock, Taicang grew to become one of the major port cities in China. Years of investment and growth saw Taicang’s industrial income grow at a rate of 15-24% annually, and in recent years over 1,000 new investment projects have helped the city maintain its status as one of China’s most developed county-level cities. The city receives foreign investment from the United States, Germany, and Japan, as well as support from across China including Taiwan and Hong Kong. Major international corporations with operations in Taicang include ExxonMobil, Bosch and P&G.

Taicang’s industry strengths feature:

• hi-tech manufacturing: as the “Sino-Germany Business Cooperation Base”, Taicang had over 230 German enterprises generating nearly RMB 30 billion output value as of 2016. The enterprises are mainly hi-tech manufacturers for precision electronics, machinery and auto parts.
• unique port advantage: Taicang Port ranks 1) top foreign trade port of the Yangtze River; 2) 39th among the global top 100 container ports.
• close industry links with Shanghai: building on its existing industry connections with Shanghai, Taicang has implemented a “Gearing into Shanghai” Strategy, a key goal of which is to promote industrial integration between Shanghai and Taicang.

Living environment

Taicang boasts a strong educational platform and comprehensive medical resources, as has become a model city for educational development in towns and cities. As a “modern garden city”, Taicang has a green coverage ratio of 42.2%, providing easy access for residents to parks, as well as scenery such as Jincang Lake and the ancient town Shaxi.