Since the start of this year, 12 major industrial projects each with an investment exceeding 5 billion yuan have been signed and landed in Wuxi, an increase of 7 compared to the same period last year. So, what exactly is driving these heavyweight projects to anchor their supply chains in Wuxi?

In mid-to-late July, the AI computing power high-end electronic substrate material R&D, manufacturing, and headquarters project of Lianmao Electronics and the AI smart computing high-speed motherboard core material R&D and production base project of Yaohong Electronics were successively launched. In August, the automotive-grade power devices and module intelligent manufacturing project of Changjing Technology was signed. In early September, the semiconductor advanced packaging and testing project of Xixi Electronics was finalized. Within less than two months, four projects at the 5-billion-yuan level were densely positioned, reflecting a strong "Wuxi attraction."

Looking at a longer timeline, since the beginning of this year, the city has signed 92 industrial projects each with an investment of over 1 billion yuan, with a total investment exceeding 210 billion yuan. Among them, there are 12 major industrial projects each exceeding 5 billion yuan, an increase of 7 year-on-year, with a total investment of 121.9 billion yuan, a year-on-year growth of 297%. This includes four projects at the 10-billion-yuan level, an increase of 3 compared to last year. Why has Wuxi become the landing spot for these heavyweight projects?

Targeting Prime Tracks With Chain-Based Investment to Build Momentum

From the map of newly landed projects, Wuxi's investment attraction strategy is very clear: based on its industrial foundation and cutting-edge trends, it focuses on prime tracks such as AI computing power, artificial intelligence, commercial aerospace, and high-end equipment, implementing precise chain-based investment attraction to foster new growth drivers and shape new industrial advantages.

AI computing power is the core support for new quality productive forces and a key focus of project attraction. With billion-yuan-level projects like the Huahong Hongli Wuxi Phase III and SJ Semi landing, Wuxi's AI computing power production capacity is accelerating. Among them, Huahong Phase III will build a 12-inch specialty process production line with a monthly capacity of 55,000 wafers. This is another significant investment in Wuxi after Phase I and Phase II, marking a new stage in its high-intensity expansion of specialty processes.

Leveraging the AI computing power infrastructure, JD.com has placed its intelligent robotics and advanced manufacturing industry base project in Wuxi, building a modern industrial platform integrating R&D, production, and industrial clustering to continuously strengthen the AI industry ecosystem. At the same time, projects targeting "bottleneck" technologies have landed: Lianmao Electronics' AI computing power high-end electronic substrate material R&D, manufacturing, and headquarters project; Changjing Technology's automotive-grade power devices and module intelligent manufacturing project aimed at domesticating core chips for new energy vehicles; and Xixi Electronics' semiconductor advanced packaging and testing project targeting the high ground of advanced packaging in the post-Moore era. These projects are not repetitive "big and comprehensive" constructions, but rather "key puzzle pieces" precisely embedded into the existing supply chain to fill gaps.

Significant gains have also been made in the new energy equipment and green intelligent manufacturing sectors. The Delijia wind power gearbox project can produce 2,000 units of large wind power gearboxes above 10 megawatts annually. The Yadea global R&D and intelligent manufacturing complex project focuses on the R&D and production of high-end electric motorcycles and power battery PACKs, driving the local electric vehicle industry toward high-end and global development.

Strengthening the Industrial Foundation With a Complete Ecosystem to Boost Investment Value

The unanimous choice of Wuxi by these heavyweight projects is by no means accidental. As a major hub for the integrated circuit industry in China, Wuxi possesses an unparalleled industrial "completeness." Last year, the city's integrated circuit industry scale exceeded 280 billion yuan, with its packaging and testing industry's scale and technical level consistently ranking first nationwide. More than 600 companies along the supply chain form a tightly coordinated network, enabling "system-level synergy" across advanced packaging, wafer manufacturing, equipment, and materials. This industrial depth is precisely what underpins the confidence of leaders like Huahong and JCET in making strategic layouts here.

Large manufacturing projects have extremely demanding requirements for industrial supporting facilities, skilled workers, and R&D support. Delijia placed its core manufacturing operations in Wuxi, valuing the Yangtze River Delta's complete high-end equipment manufacturing supply chain and its large pool of skilled workers in precision machining, which can best ensure product precision and quality stability. Yadea's decision to locate its billion-yuan-level R&D and intelligent manufacturing complex in Xishan District is also driven by supply chain synergy—"all core components can be sourced within a 20-kilometer radius." With six of the country's top ten electric vehicle companies positioned here, this "local sourcing and efficient collaboration" advantage is hard to rival nationwide. Additionally, the National Light Electric Vehicle and Battery Product Quality Inspection Center precisely aligns with Yadea's R&D needs, while cross-border e-commerce parks and overseas warehouses provide a channel for expanding into global markets.

"As an important highland of China's manufacturing industry, Wuxi has established a full-chain ecosystem of 'R&D-manufacturing-application' in the robotics sector, providing an excellent environment and soil for the development of intelligent robotics and advanced manufacturing industries," said Chen Ruoyu, SEC committee member of JD.com Group and CEO of JD Property. JD.com successfully landed its group's first global intelligent robotics industry base in Wuxi because what it needs is precisely an "ideal testing ground" like Wuxi, which combines a strong manufacturing foundation, a complete supply chain, and open application scenarios.

Cultivating a Business-Friendly Environment to Deepen Mutual Prosperity Through Strategic Trust

What also makes companies "willing to come, stay, and grow into big trees" is the business-friendly soil. With the iterative launch of the 9.0 version of the business environment optimization plan, nearly 20 of the 28 key tasks are national- or provincial-level pilot or innovative measures, directly addressing pain points and breaking down barriers. The routine "walk-a-mile-in-their-shoes" activity has produced 55 institutional outcomes in just half a year, shifting enterprise-related services from a "supply-oriented" to a "demand-oriented" approach.

The combination of industrial depth and policy warmth has made Wuxi a popular choice for the strategic layout of major industrial projects. This "two-way commitment" is particularly evident in the continued investments of existing enterprises: the majority of projects signed this year exceeding 5 billion yuan are not from "new faces," but rather "old friends" who have been rooted in Wuxi for years and have chosen to double down. These projects are not simple capacity expansions, but strategic layouts aimed at new tracks and new businesses.

The story of Delijia is quite representative. Settling in Xishan in 2018, it has completed four iterations in seven years; from the scale supply of Phase I to the fourth phase with a total investment of 5 billion yuan doubling down on wind power gearboxes above 10 megawatts, each step has aligned with the industrial trend of wind turbine upscaling. Once the new project is fully operational, it is expected to generate annual sales exceeding 10 billion yuan, propelling the company from a "supplier" to a "leader" in the global wind power gearbox sector.

Changjing Technology is also a typical case of "old trees sprouting new shoots." After acquiring two semiconductor companies in Jiangyin consecutively in 2021 and 2022, it has once again made a major investment, comprehensively upgrading existing production lines to build automotive-grade high-reliability chip production lines and expanding into emerging tracks such as third-generation semiconductors and power integrated circuits. Against the backdrop of rising new energy vehicle penetration and strong demand for domestic substitution of automotive-grade power semiconductors, this capacity layout holds significant strategic value.

This logic of continuous deep cultivation is fully corroborated in the strategic cooperation between JD.com and Wuxi. In four years, 14 projects have been landed, with cooperation spanning retail, technology, property development, health, and more. The newly signed JD.com intelligent robotics and advanced manufacturing industry base project this year represents an innovative practice of both parties in the robotics industry's business model, also signifying that the cooperation between JD.com and Wuxi has evolved from single-point business production layouts to deeply integrated ecosystem co-building. These stories of "turning new friends into old friends, and old friends into strategic partners" affirm a simple investment logic: when a region's industrial ecosystem and policy environment are deeply coupled with an enterprise's development strategy, cooperation becomes a lasting agreement for mutual prosperity and shared growth.