In April 2006, the Lianshui Economic Development Zone in Jiangsu Province was approved by the provincial government as a provincial-level economic development zone. In October of the same year, it was named one of the “Top Ten Development Zones with the Greatest Investment Potential in the Yangtze River Delta” by evaluation bodies including the Organizing Committee of the China Business Clans Summit and the Yangtze River Delta Economic and Social Research Association.
The economic development zone covers a built-up area of 21 square kilometers and has gradually established an industrial layout encompassing food and brewing, pharmaceuticals and chemicals, specialty chemical fibers, textiles and apparel, as well as new energy and new materials. It has preliminarily formed a “Five Zones and Five Parks” structure, comprising the New City Living Support Zone, Sub-district Living Support Zone, Market Support Zone, Port Logistics Support Zone, and Railway Logistics Support Zone, alongside the Food Processing Park, Pharmaceutical Industry Park, New Energy Industry Park, Xingang Electronics Industry Park, and Daily Chemical Packaging Park.In 2011, actual foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows reached $256 million, and the zone rose 33 places in the provincial ranking of development zones.