Lianyungang Port (CFP Photo)

The Yangtze River Delta, which includes Shanghai and the provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui, continued to lead the country's economic growth in the first half of the year.

Out of the delta region's 41 cities, 35 registered GDP growth exceeding the national average of 5.5%. 17 cities achieved GDP expansion of at least 7% and six saw growth surpassing 8%.

Lianyungang City in Jiangsu secured first place with GDP growth of 12.9%, followed by Shanghai (9.7%), Zhoushan in Zhejiang (8.4%), Suqian (8.1%), Xuzhou (8%) and Huai'an (8%).

Notably, cities in northern Jiangsu stood out for their economic development, much attributed to their sustained efforts in the manufacturing industry. For example, Lianyungang has been focusing on the industrial investment, including the trillion yuan-worth petrochemical industry cluster, which contributes substantially to the city's growth.

Furthermore, the added value of industrial enterprises above designated size in Suqian, Xuzhou and Huai'an rose by 12.0%, 9.3% and 7.2%, respectively, a testament to successful industrial transformation.

In Xuzhou, the output of polycrystalline silicon and solar cells surged by 46.3% and 254.7%, respectively. In Suqian, the cumulative output value of 20 key industrial chains reached 229.3 billion yuan, an increase of 13.3%. In Xuzhou, the output value of electrical machinery and equipment manufacturing sector, primarily the solar panels, reported an increase of 71.5% compared to the same period last year.