From The Editor

China Daily | Updated: 2016-07-15 08:30

Thiscollection of articles is the outcome of the recent visit by China Daily reporters toJiangyin. The small city in the Yangtze River Delta rose to national fame when it became abastion for China's first farmers-turned entrepreneurs.

Some of theirventures have become large corporations and even global industry leaders.These successes have enabledJiangyinto rank among the first echelon of cities with the highest per capita income in China.

Now entrepreneurs from the older generation are passing their stewardship to younger successors, while the country is shifting to a new mode featuring innovation and managerial acumen.

So far,Jiangyinhas managedto meet these challenges well. The city is not buildingmoreof its existing businessprocesses, instead it is investing,primarilywithits own resources, in education,in social security, and inlocal entrepreneurship.

Once again the small city is playing a big role. It is leading the way in the inevitable transition of the whole country.

-SunShangwu, deputy editor-in-chief, China Daily

Jiangyin's Development Timeline

1978

Rural people start to run industrial ventures in Huaxi village, in the east of the former Jiangyin county, pioneering the millions of village and township enterprises that emerged in the 1980s and 1990s as an important part of China's economic reform.

1987

With approval from the State Council, Jiangyin county becomes a city, when the combined value of its industry and agriculture (prior to the adoption of the GDP statistical method) reaches 6.25 billion yuan ($949.37 million).

1992

The State Council approves the port of Jiang-yin engaging in international trade service.

2000

Port throughput exceeds 10 million tons.

2009

Port throughput exceeds 100 million tons.

2012

The State Council approves the establishment of Jiangyin National High Tech Development Zone.

2014

Eleven Jiangyin-based companies are listed among China's 500 strongest enterprises.

2015

GDP reaches 288 billion yuan - up 7.4 percent year-on-year - 176,000 yuan per capita.

Manufacturing's contribution to the local GDP is 55 percent, the service sector's 43.4 percent, and farming's 1.6 percent. Twelve local companies report more than 10 billion yuan in revenue.

2016

The State Council approves the National Comprehensive Bonded Zone, located in the Jiangyin Harbour Economic Development District.

- Wang Yanfei