Thousands of sails race across the surging waves; now is the time for hundreds of vessels to vie for the lead.

Today, competition for investment in China has reached a fever pitch. As industrial structures and investment policies across regions have become increasingly similar, service quality has gradually emerged as one of the key competitive advantages.

Cultural differences and varying levels of economic development across regions have shaped distinct styles among investment promotion personnel and leading officials in different areas.

Distinctive types of officials are gradually emerging. Upon closer examination, common traits can be identified among them, such as strategic thinking, pragmatism and efficiency, and relentless dedication...

Shanghai: The “Low-Key” Officials

“Not clingy” is how the General Secretary described Shanghai’s officials.

As the name implies, this means that Shanghai officials do not cling to people but focus on tasks; it also represents a down-to-earth, diligent, and hardworking attitude.

A cadre from Hubei who shadowed a Shanghai leader to learn from them discovered that, on average, they spent at least three days a week visiting sub-districts, towns, and enterprises to resolve issues.

Clearly, the “unobtrusive” nature of Shanghai officials means dedicating more time to the front lines at the grassroots level, focusing their efforts on understanding the development needs of enterprises, and serving them without causing disruption or being intrusive.

Avoiding empty formalities and focusing on results rather than appearances is another defining characteristic of Shanghai officials.

Last year, during a study tour in Shanghai, Hubei officials were taken aback by a particular meeting: at the district government’s executive session, there were no prepared speeches—only questions. Six agenda items were covered in just 1.5 hours, with no single item taking more than 20 minutes. Such efficiency stems from thorough preparation before the meeting, enabling the rapid generation of solutions.

Suzhou: The “Local Specialty” Officials

In Suzhou, right next to Shanghai, officials known as “local specialty officials” are also famous. Why are they called “local specialty officials”?

"Local specialties" refer to products that are unique, high-quality, and possess a certain history and reputation—and Suzhou officials are no different.

As early as the 1980s, Suzhou had already embraced the philosophy that “development depends on Shanghai,” and the next step was to put it into practice.

Back then, it was common to see Suzhou officials promoting their hometown’s products to foreign investors near major hotels and airports in Shanghai. Some officials, facing limitations in policy and technology at the time, compensated with exceptional service—one official, for instance, made 102 trips to Nanjing alone to help a company secure re-approval.

These early efforts laid a solid foundation for Suzhou’s current industrial structure and business environment.

Today, various methods such as overseas investment promotion and on-site investment promotion, which are now ubiquitous, largely originated in Suzhou. They pioneered the establishment of investment promotion offices and launched “door-to-door” investment promotion campaigns, taking the initiative to proactively identify and meet the precise needs of enterprises—a strategy that has yielded remarkable results.

The success of investment promotion ultimately depends on people, and Suzhou serves as a testament to this.

Zhejiang: The Relentless Three

Statistics show that the head of a regional administrative committee in Zhejiang visited 270 companies within 16 months of taking office—simply to build relationships with entrepreneurs and help them solve problems. This demonstrates that the title “Workaholic” is well-deserved.

Zhejiang’s private sector is renowned nationwide, and its enterprises are not confined to urban areas but have also penetrated rural counties.

A closer look reveals that local governments seize every opportunity to create business opportunities for enterprises, including actively hosting international and nationally recognized exhibitions such as the International Textile Expo, the World Textile Merchants Conference, and the China Robotics Summit.

While studying in Zhejiang, an official from Hubei collected a large number of documents. He noticed that the writing did not adhere to formal parallelism; there was almost no empty rhetoric or clichés—only concrete, actionable implementation plans.

Furthermore, they noted that grassroots officials generally possess a high level of professional expertise, with knowledge in economic management, digital technology, and fintech. When enterprises face development challenges, their advice is often incisive, practical, and effective.

Wuhu’s Top-Notch “Shop Assistants”

Earlier this year, the first group of officials from Nanyang, Henan, who had gone to Wuhu for on-the-job training, returned to Nanyang and remarked, “We never expected Wuhu’s officials to be so dedicated and pragmatic in their work.”

In recent years, as Anhui’s second-largest city, Wuhu has been developing rapidly. Wuhu’s officials have also been learning from the east to gain development insights, actively benchmarking against advanced cities, and firmly embracing the mindset of being “gold-medal service providers.”

Last October, Wuhu selected 79 outstanding officials to travel to Shanghai for a 100-day practical training program.

To observe firsthand how Shanghai officials interact with business partners, they proactively served water to guests and sat in the back rows of meeting rooms, listening attentively while taking notes. Although they initially faced the awkwardness of being sidelined upon arrival in Shanghai, the Wuhu officials started with small tasks—running errands and handling menial work—gradually integrating into the environment and breaking the ice.

Viewed from another angle, this experience also served to push Wuhu’s officials out of their comfort zones. By comparing themselves with their more capable counterparts, they broadened their perspectives and expanded their horizons, thereby better equipping themselves to serve local enterprises.

In fact, Wuhu’s officials are a microcosm of officials in most cities. Although their economic and industrial foundations are relatively weaker compared to larger cities, the government has consistently sought reform and transformation, benchmarking against advanced models to better adapt to the new era’s demands.

Learn from the Best, Reflect on Ourselves, and Develop Our Own Distinctive Features

So, how can different regions learn from advanced areas and cultivate their own distinctive cadre?

First and foremost is the top-level strategic mindset and forward-looking vision for investment promotion.

Top-level strategic thinking refers to the government’s guiding principles for investment promotion—such as enacting laws and regulations through legislative and administrative channels, as well as formulating plans to identify regional leading industries and investment policies.

This inevitably brings us to the officials of Jiangsu. Rather than mechanically and superficially copying policies, they excel at researching and thoroughly understanding them. Similarly, in planning and executing work, they do not merely follow templates but seek out greater room for maneuver, truly embodying the spirit of “daring to think and daring to act.”

At the same time, by introducing advanced management concepts and models—such as the joint development of the Singapore Industrial Park—the region has not only attracted a large number of foreign-invested enterprises but, more importantly, broadened its perspective and vision, enabling it to strategically position itself in emerging industries well in advance. Gradually, foreign investment has driven the development of domestic small and medium-sized enterprises, creating a hub for technological innovation.

Innovation and reform are equally vital tools for driving new initiatives and transformation.

Zhejiang’s officials always find a way when there seems to be none, devising solutions where none exist, and turning tasks that should be done but are deemed “unfeasible” into “feasible” ones.

Policies such as “performance evaluation based on output per mu” and “standard land reform” were all innovative measures pioneered and piloted in Zhejiang. On one hand, they integrate, optimize, and efficiently utilize high-quality resources; on the other, they use incentives and pressure to drive enterprises to upgrade their production capacity. This reform approach, which kills two birds with one stone, has not only been widely adopted within the province but has also been promoted nationwide.

Furthermore, there is the spirit of daring to step out of one’s comfort zone and striving to explore distinctive paths of development.

This is exemplified by the “wolf-like” spirit of Wuhu’s officials, who, in pursuit of development, have consistently looked eastward. Rather than blindly copying or following others, they have combined advanced concepts with local realities to create Wuhu-specific innovations in the business environment—such as the “Open Discussion Breakfast Meetings” and the “1% Work Method”—all aimed at achieving the goal of increasing the average corporate profit margin by 1% from current levels.

Today, Wuhu is no longer merely a city that follows others’ lead; its massive reforms, transformations, and improvements have made its officials a model for others to emulate.

In summary, within the landscape of Chinese cities, large cities possess an open and inclusive mindset, embracing diversity like the vast sea, while small cities exude a gentle, vibrant charm with a unique character.

While the success of major cities may be difficult to replicate, their advanced concepts and philosophies are worth emulating. Many provinces, such as Anhui and Hubei, have already embarked on the path of transformation and achieved notable results. Their spirit and courage in seeking breakthroughs can provide inspiration and a blueprint for more cities that are either already on this journey or preparing to set out.