Jiangsu ranked third in China after Guangdong and Beijing in terms of overall regional innovation capacity performance, according to a report released in Beijing on November 25.
The China Regional Innovation Capacity Evaluation Report, sponsored by the Ministry of Science and Technology, has been released annually for 23 consecutive years, becoming a leading indicator for observing regional development in the country.
Guangdong, Beijing, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai are recognized as the top-tier innovation-driven regions, according to the report’s 2023 edition.
The report highlights that Jiangsu has emphasized the significance of innovation in pursuing development, strengthened the synthesis of innovation, industrial and capital resources, and fully elevated its industrial foundation and modernization of industrial chain, making strides in the construction of pro-innovation platforms.
In 2022, the province's R&D expenditure reached 383.5 billion yuan, which accounted for 12.5% of the country’s total and 3.12% of the region’s GDP. The average ownership of invention patents per 10,000 people was twice the national average figure, securing its first place in the country.
According to the province’s Science and Technology Department, Jiangsu is home to 19 national-level innovative industrial clusters and leads the nation in the output of several industries, including biomedicine, new energy, environmental protection and offshore equipment. Jiangsu has also built 54 high-tech zones above the provincial level, of which 18 are nationally recognized, setting a record in China. The province also hosts 13 national-level innovative cities and 14 national-level innovative counties (county-level cities), both holding the top position nationwide.
Furthermore, Jiangsu’s enterprises have made steady progress in enhancing their innovation ability. Currently, enterprises contributed to 85% of the province's R&D spending and 70% of valid invention patents. The total number of high-tech enterprises reached 44,000, eight times that of 2012. Jiangsu is home to 20% of China’s technology-based SMEs, the largest proportion for many years in a row, and 109 enterprises listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange's sci-tech innovation board.
