Jiangsu's major industries: Strengths and uniqueness

by Melanie Victoriano (Content Editor)

Image source: Getty/Shenjun Gong

With just 1.1 percent of China’s land area and 5.8 percent of its population, Jiangsu accounts for 10.1 percent of the country’s GDP -- that is how it punches above its weight as an economic stronghold in China.

Jiangsu’s GDP last year was USD 1.8 trillion, ranked second highest after Guangdong among province-level divisions of the PRC, and today it has three local companies listed in the global Fortune 500 while 86 local firms are on the Top 500 China Enterprises list.

As China’s second-largest exporter, Jiangsu reached USD 504 billion in exports in 2021. The province’s top exports last year were automatic data processing machines, electronic integrated circuits, mobile phones, semiconductor devices, and telephone sets.

Pillar industries and key areas

The major industries of Jiangsu are electronics, telecommunications, chemicals, machinery and equipment, textiles and garment, and metallurgy. The province is also investing in the development of new and high-technology products and is now an important IT manufacturing base in China.

Key industrial centers and development zones are in several areas including the cities of Nanjing, Wuxi, and Suzhou. These cities are the site of industrial plants manufacturing trucks and motor vehicle parts, chemical fertilizers, detergent raw materials, textiles like cotton and silk, IT and electronic equipment, iron, and steel, among a wide range of products.

Key strengths drive Jiangsu’s development and uniqueness

1. High productivity

Jiangsu’s manufacturing industry is known for its high production capacity and its goal of producing high-quality goods. It is currently trying to develop into a center for advanced manufacturing industries and is speeding up the restructuring of traditional industries, including modernizing production facilities and adopting more environment-friendly processes, to be more competitive on an international level.

2. Development mindset

Jiangsu is a future-oriented province that practices development planning. The provincial government is quickening its pace in developing advanced industries. Its approach is to develop by clusters, and it has identified 13 advanced industry clusters that it will develop, including biopharmaceutical and medical equipment, high-end textile, marine engineering and high-tech ships, and energy conservation and environmental protection.

3. Foreign investment-friendly

The Jiangsu government has taken steps to stabilize the environment for direct foreign investment. According to China’s Ministry of Commerce, foreign investment in the province accounted for 16.3 percent of China’s total and demonstrated the “remarkable” achievement of Jiangsu in terms of both opening up to and stabilizing foreign investment in 2020.

Provincial statistics show that Jiangsu registered paid-in foreign investment of          USD 28.38 billion in 2020, an eight-percent increase over 2019. In 2021, the province ranked first in China in terms of foreign investment received, which totaled  USD 28.85 billion, according to a report by the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Commerce. As of April 2022, Jiangsu registered a total of USD 15.93 billion of paid-in foreign capital, a 41.5 percent year-on-year increase, according to the PRC’s National Development and Reform Commission.

Visit China’s latest sourcing hub online

Buyers looking for quality products to source now have Jiangsu as an alternative sourcing center. An in-person visit is ideal but if that is a challenge, then visit this manufacturing powerhouse online via Global Sources’ Jiangsu Online Show.

Don’t miss out on your chance to vet at least 1,100 verified suppliers and 200-plus products in this virtual sourcing fair. Visit the Jiangsu Online Show now.

Here is just a small sample of the quality products available for sourcing from Global Sources’ verified suppliers in Jiangsu:

Product Gallery

Self-aligning ball bearings 

Changzhou Oumai Bearing Technology Co. Ltd

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Stainless steel panels

Jiangsu Weiao Metal Group Co. Ltd

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Dump Trucks

YangZhou Semotor Electric Vehicle Co. Ltd

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PCB assemblies 

Changzhou Wiseer Co. Ltd

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Wi-Fi cameras 

Wuxi Kingsafe Intelligence Technology Co. Ltd

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Organic cotton fabrics

Jiangyin Galaxy Knitting Co. Ltd

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HDMI cables 

Changzhou Flexi Electronic  Co. Ltd

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Ice cream machines

Wuxi Danxiao Machinery Co. Ltd

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Women's Sleepwear

Scorching Sun International Trading Co.

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Global Sources is a trusted, internationally recognized B2B sourcing platform that has been driving global trade for more than 50 years. The company connects authentic buyers and verified suppliers worldwide with tailored solutions and trusted market intelligence through trade shows, digital platforms and magazines. Visit our website to source the right product for your market and contact verified suppliers:

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