The Suzhou New District(SND) is a pioneer in the development of Suzhou City£ğ the gross income of SND for the ten-year period ending in 2002 is equivalent to that of the whole of Suzhou for 1992. This means that the income equivalent of a Suzhou City has been created by the SND in ten years' time. During the period from 2003 to 2005, the total income of SND is expected to double, which means the equivalent of another Suzhou City will have been built in only three years.

ĦĦĦĦMore than 1200 foreign enter-prises, of which 43 are Global 500 companies, have invested over 12 billion US dollars in the SND and more than 5000 private Chinaese enterprises have invested over RMB30 billion 45 percent of the new industries are IT companies, 30 percent are fine machinery and auto parts, and 25 percent are biopharmaceuticals, fine chemicals and new materials. Two new industries, auto parts and environmental protection are also represented in the new manufacturing base. At present, there are more than 60 automobile and auto parts enterprises in SND. It is predicted that the total value of the automobile and auto parts industry will exceed 15 billion yuan by the end of 2010. seven categories of environmental protection equipment,including treatment equipment for water pollution, are also being manufactured in SND.

ĦĦĦĦWith the high growth rate and steadily developing economy, special attention has been given to the adjustment of various industries and the harmony between urban and rural areas. SND has been carrying outĦ°The Well-off ProjectĦħin order to build a community in which the able can have a career, the aged are fed, the sick are treated and the weak are helped.

ĦĦĦĦThe SND is actively promoting new rural cooperative medical treatment centers and is carrying out the Medicare system for those who live on endowment and those whose land has been requisitioned. So far, 92,000 farmers have purchased the Cooperative Medicare and 100% of land-free farmers have been offered the basic life allowance. The SND government spends 270 million RMB annually to provide the newly established Endowment Insurance for all the farmers in SND.

ĦĦĦĦThe SND wons 258 square kilomters of land covering the hilly area from the ancient Suzhou city in the east to the shores of Taihu Lake in the west. The SND is dedicated to the protection of the environment, and creating a harmony of man and nature in order to achieve a win-win situation between economic development and eco-protection. As early as the end of 2002, SND designed and authorized one of the first of thirteen state-authorized eco-industrial parks in China.