The Changzhou Zhonglou High-Tech Industrial Development Zone (hereinafter referred to as “Zhonglou High-Tech Zone”) is located in Zouqu Town, Zhonglou District. Established in 2020 with a planned area of 11.5 square kilometers, it is a provincial-level high-tech zone in Jiangsu and the only park in Changzhou that benefits from the dual opportunities of being both a provincial-level high-tech zone and a “Two Lakes” Innovation Zone.
The High-Tech Zone is home to two national-level markets, each with a transaction volume exceeding 10 billion yuan. Lingjiatang Market is a key wholesale market designated by the Ministry of Agriculture, while China Lighting City is the second-largest cluster for the domestic lighting industry; in 2023, the combined transaction volume of these two markets exceeded 60 billion yuan. It also houses a National Key Cold Chain Logistics Base—the first in Changzhou and the second in the province—which handled approximately 5 million tons of cargo and generated about 60 billion yuan in transaction value in 2023.It is home to the province’s only specialized vocational education park, which has attracted seven vocational institutions—including the Urban Construction School, Aviation Technical School, Industry and Trade Technical School, and Transportation Technical School—offering nearly 100 specialized programs and serving nearly 50,000 students and faculty; it also houses a provincial-level modern agricultural science and technology industrial park, hosting 16 agricultural technology enterprises such as Noah’s Ark, and has been successively awarded the titles of “National Green Food Industry Demonstration Base” and “Provincial Postdoctoral Innovation Practice Base.”
I. Major Development Opportunities for the High-Tech Zone
Located at the central hub of the Yangtze River Delta, Zhonglou High-Tech Zone lies at the intersection of the Nanjing and Shanghai metropolitan areas. Major national strategies—including the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta, the Yangtze River Economic Belt, and the Grand Canal Cultural Belt—span the entire region, showcasing its robust locational advantages. The zone serves as a strategic “functional node” within the regional development network.At the same time, Zhonglou High-Tech Zone is actively integrating into the new regional development framework jointly established across the province. It is seizing the opportunities presented by Changzhou’s “532” development strategy and the construction of the “New Energy Capital,” fully leveraging the market circulation advantages of two national-level markets each worth over 10 billion yuan and the National Key Cold Chain Logistics Base to accelerate the realization of leapfrog development.
1. Strategic Development Opportunities Presented by the “Two Lakes” Initiative. The entire Zhonglou High-Tech Zone has been incorporated into the municipal Party committee and government’s “Two Lakes” key development strategy. It has been entrusted with the historic mission of building an innovation pilot zone and a bridgehead for integrated development within the “Two Lakes” framework. Consequently, the zone has assumed greater responsibilities for urban development and received preferential support in terms of municipal funding, resources, and policies. Municipal leaders have conducted over 20 specialized research visits and guidance sessions at the park, demonstrating an unprecedented level of attention and support.
2. Opportunities from the Transformation of the Transportation Network. To expand the “Two Lakes” development framework, the Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government have planned the construction of two expressways—Tenglong Avenue and the western extension of Zhongwu Avenue—within the High-Tech Zone. As a result, the High-Tech Zone has evolved from serving as Changzhou’s “Western Gateway” to becoming the “Western Second Ring Road.”Additionally, the High-Tech Zone boasts three national and provincial trunk roads and one expressway, along with planned projects such as the Changtai Railway, the Suzhou-Wuxi-Changzhou Intercity Railway, and Metro Line 2. These elements are converging to form a multi-dimensional transportation system encompassing subways, national highways, provincial highways, elevated roads, expressways, and high-speed rail.
3. Opportunities in the New Energy Industry. The construction of Changzhou as the “Capital of New Energy” is in full swing, with numerous vehicle manufacturers clustering in the area.Geographically, the High-Tech Zone is situated at the geometric center of three major industrial clusters. Over the past three years, it has attracted 18 land-intensive projects, with 16 of them selected as major provincial and municipal projects—accounting for approximately 80% of the zone’s total. Among these, more than 10 projects involving key components for new energy vehicles have been successfully attracted and established, representing over half of the total projects and more than 80% of the total investment, making the zone a vital hub for the city’s new energy vehicle industry cluster.
II. Industrial Characteristics and Innovation Ecosystem of the High-Tech Zone
Building on its strong industrial foundation and seizing the development opportunities presented by the “New Energy Capital,” the Zhonglou High-Tech Zone is fully committed to building a “1+3” new industrial system. This system is led by the new energy industry cluster and supported by key components for new energy vehicles, new energy lighting, and new energy materials.
1. New Energy Vehicle Components Industry
Leveraging the geographical advantage of being at the geometric center of the industrial cluster, the zone has attracted and established a large number of key new energy vehicle component projects. Products span numerous fields, including thermal management systems, automotive interior components, automotive production lines, tailgate systems, air suspension system piping, automotive sound-absorbing materials, and high-end precision components, with an industrial scale exceeding 5 billion yuan.
2. New Energy Materials Industry
Leveraging the leading role of key industry enterprises, the sector focuses on developing applications of functional membrane materials, high-performance metal materials, and optical materials in the new energy sector, with an industry scale of approximately 6 billion yuan.
3. New Energy Lighting Industry
Relying on the “China Lighting City,” the region is fully committed to building a new energy lighting industrial chain, including LED lighting and integrated “generation-storage-consumption” streetlights. In 2023, the China Lighting City cluster achieved operating revenue of 12 billion yuan.