Suzhou New District keeps drawing foreign investment with growing confidence

Recently, the 2026 Suzhou Global Investment Promotion Conference was held in Suzhou as a sideline event to the 2026 APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting.

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Suzhou once again drew attention for its role in global economic and trade cooperation, while Suzhou New District (SND), an emerging high-tech hub in the city, attracted particular interest as a leading destination for foreign investment.

This is not a fleeting moment in the spotlight, but the result of more than three decades of commitment to opening-up and ecosystem development. Against a global backdrop of cautious cross-border investment and increasingly selective foreign investors, SND has continued to deliver strong growth.

The district is now home to more than 2,000 foreign-invested firms, including over 60 projects funded by Fortune Global 500 companies. Nearly 2,000 high-tech companies are concentrated here, 40 of which have gone public. A foreign capital pool worth hundreds of billions of yuan continues to grow.

After more than three decades of sustained development, the district has built an increasingly solid industrial foundation while continuing to expand its openness. Its core competitiveness lies in moving beyond a short-term, project-driven approach in favor of long-term strategies: once partnerships are established, service is lifelong; competition centers not only on projects, but on the broader ecosystem; capital is attracted and retained for the long term.

Amid global economic fluctuations and industrial restructuring, SND's foreign investment profile shows a distinctive pattern: long-standing partners continue to expand production capacity and upgrade operations, while new entrants are accelerating their investment and growth. The upgrading of existing projects and the expansion of new investment have created a mutually reinforcing cycle that sustains momentum.

Siemens' three-decade presence in the district exemplifies this model of mutual development. Since establishing a branch in the district in 1994, Siemens has steadily upgraded and expanded its operations-from a manufacturing plant to the China headquarters of its electrical products division, and, following a 2022 upgrade, to its East Asia headquarters overseeing operations in Japan and South Korea. In 2024, Siemens established the China headquarters of Siemens Advanta in the district, forming a "dual headquarters and one center" structure that enables deeper participation in the district's core artificial intelligence industry chain.

"Siemens is leveraging the localized full value chain and global resources to support Suzhou in building a headquarters economy hub," said Xiao Song, chairman, president and CEO of Siemens China. This reflects more than expanded investment; it represents full recognition of SND's industrial ecosystem and innovation environment.

German companies Schott and Knorr-Bremse have likewise demonstrated their confidence in SND through continued investment. Schott, which established a presence in the district in 2001, has repeatedly reinvested operating profits into local innovation. In 2025, it launched new production lines and established its China Innovation Center, further deepening its presence in specialized market segments while exploring future industries. Knorr-Bremse, which entered the district in 2004, has completed a three-stage transformation-from a manufacturing plant to an R&D center and then to a global business service hub. The site in SND has now become the company's most important strategic pillar outside its headquarters in Munich, Germany, with the highest investment density and the broadest business scope.

The continued evolution of multinational projects underscores a key strength of SND: its advantage lies not only in the speed of attracting projects, but also in its ability to cultivate industrial ecosystems. The district is more than a place for industrial operations; it is a strategic hub where companies innovate, expand globally, and advance through successive upgrades.

"No request from an enterprise should be neglected-what may seem like a trifle to others could be a decisive matter affecting a company's development." This principle is shared across SND's enterprise service teams.

For new projects, land is the first step. SND has deepened reforms in the allocation of industrial land-use factors by piloting a "standard land" mechanism for industrial projects. By replacing the previous model-in which enterprises handled multiple procedures independently-with a coordinated approach led by local authorities, the district enables projects to move into construction and operation as quickly as possible.

While land supply has accelerated, equal attention has been given to subsequent construction. SND introduced a "phased completion inspection and filing" policy in place of a one-size-fits-all approach. Once an individual factory building meets the required standards, it may begin production and generate returns even if other structures within the same project remain under construction. This allows enterprises to seize market opportunities more quickly.

In the workshop for the new-energy vehicle motor core project being built by Suzhou Fine-Stamping Machinery Technology Co., Ltd., the first production lines are already in operation. Standing before the new equipment, the workshop manager said, "Under the traditional model, we would have had to wait for the entire project to be completed before filing for inspection and starting production. But now, as soon as a building is completed, it can be inspected and approved. Our first production lines went into operation three months ahead of schedule-and that means we can start generating profits earlier."

In recent years, to better serve enterprises, SND has carried out the "Three Services" initiative on a regular basis. Through five rounds of comprehensive field visits, it has provided services for 168 projects involving 523 enterprises and followed up on 702 enterprise requests-ensuring that every request receives a response and every issue is addressed.

The district prioritizes long-term business growth over temporary problem-solving and has consistently supported enterprises throughout their full lifecycle. In 2025 alone, it organized 98 training and business-development activities. Whether a newly registered startup with only a handful of employees and a single office, or an industry leader preparing for an IPO with annual operating income in the billions of yuan, every business can receive precisely tailored services from SND.

From incubating startups and certifying high-tech enterprises, to accelerating gazelle companies and guiding unicorns, from fostering specialized and sophisticated SMEs to supporting the final push toward an IPO-SND actively supports business growth at every stage. The enterprises benefiting from this support have, in turn, contributed to the district's development through their own growth.

The rapid rise of the new energy and green, low-carbon industrial cluster is a strong testament to the competitiveness of SND's industrial ecosystem. The district's new energy sector has achieved an average annual growth rate of more than 30%, bringing together leading companies such as CSI Solar, GoodWe, and GCL.

Not long ago, CATL signed an agreement to launch a project in the district. "This will also support our business growth," said Chen Qin, head of the renewable energy business at Kiwa China. The industrial agglomeration effect continues to strengthen, forming an industrial matrix with closely connected upstream and downstream enterprises and strong innovation collaboration. This enables companies to share in the benefits of the ecosystem while reinforcing their confidence in expanding production and investment.

Three decades of sustained effort have produced symbiotic growth. SND's foreign-investment story has undergone profound evolution: foreign-funded enterprises have shifted from "manufacturing in China and serving local clients" to "deepening their roots in China and expanding globally," while the district itself has evolved from attracting investment and enterprises to building an open hub that draws global talent, nurtures industries, and empowers innovation.

"Looking ahead, we will continue to improve our business environment, strengthen the industrial ecosystem, refine services, and bring together global momentum with an open stance to write a new chapter of high-quality development," said a representative of SND.
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This release was published on openPR.