A view of Lujiazui area in Shanghai. [Photo/VCG]

Located around the mid-point of China's coastline, the Yangtze River Delta is one of the country's most economically vibrant regions, having achieved what can be considered quintessential highly-integrated development.

For over a millennium, the word "paradise" has been used to describe the landscape and prosperity of this region. However, the region's development in the new era has surpassed even the most poetic and vivid imaginations of ancient residents.

The delta, encompassing the provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui, as well as the Shanghai Municipality, accounted for nearly a quarter of China's gross domestic product in 2023, despite occupying just 4 percent of the country's total land area.

Underpinning the region's steady and positive trend is strong impetus rooted in coordinated scientific and technological innovation. From resource sharing and scientific research cooperation to industrial linkage, the construction of a science and technology innovation community in the delta is currently accelerating.

The Yangtze River Delta region remains rooted in its profound industrial history, while its strong innovation capability is today lending fresh steam to the development of new quality productive forces in this industrial powerhouse.

Innovating together

Located in the Qingpu District of Shanghai, the R&D center of Guochuang Huaxin (Shanghai) Technology Development Co., Ltd. is a hive of activity. Various drawings, prototypes, testing furnaces and experimental materials are neatly arranged as staff members diligently work on the application of microwave zinc-removal technology for steel dust.

In just over two months, this processing technology could find its way into a new factory in the city of Danyang, in neighboring Jiangsu Province.

Yu Yaowei, the legal representative of Guochuang Huaxin and a professor at Shanghai University, is upbeat about the technology's application prospects and market value.

Using traditional methods, zinc oxide can be extracted and sold for approximately 3,000 yuan (about $422.47) per tonne. In contrast, the new technology has the potential to extract elemental zinc, which sells for around 23,000 yuan per tonne, according to Yu.

Steel production is one of the cornerstones of China's industrial landscape. However, with the vast amount of zinc-containing dust generated during steel production, the industry faces significant challenges in terms of waste disposal, affecting both a furnace's lifespan and the environment.

The introduction of this new technology is likely to benefit not only the steel industry, but also the broader goals of sustainable development and environmental protection.

The National Innovation Center par Excellence (NICE), a comprehensive national technology innovation center based in the Yangtze River Delta, is helping more companies like Guochuang Huaxin to industrialize future-oriented technologies.

According to Chen Wenjun, director of NICE's Energy & Environmental Protection Division, the center is committed to accelerating the construction of the Yangtze River Delta's science and technology innovation community.

Highlighting the development of new quality productive forces as an inherent requirement for building a modern industrial system, Chen noted that traditional industries are also important bases for nurturing new quality productive forces. "Supporting the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries is the key to stimulating new quality productive forces," Chen said.

Collaboration and clusters

Out of every 10 express deliveries nationwide, seven are handled by courier companies based in Huaxin Township, Qingpu District. Over the past decade, more than 300 express logistics companies have gathered in Huaxin, including ZTO Express, YTO Express, Yunda Express and J&T Express, forming a considerable express cluster.

Growing from a small town on the outskirts of Shanghai to what is now a one-hundred-billion-yuan scale express hub, Huaxin's development owes much to the township's nurturing of new quality productive forces and agglomeration economies.

Serving as a fine example, J&T Express has managed to promote digitalization, effectively reduce costs and increase its efficiency.

During peak parcel-volume periods, large-scale transit centers can scan up to approximately 88,000 parcels per hour, using intelligent scanning to input data into tracking systems. This significantly reduces reliance on manpower, lowers operating costs and shortens delivery times.

For Qingpu District, the success of Huaxin is also one of the benefits of the district's efforts in constructing the Yangtze River Delta digital trunk line, a digital industrial belt winding through this economic powerhouse.

Based on the digital economy, the digital trunk line originates from Qingpu and relies on the G50 expressway as its main artery. It connects various industrial parks and industrial chains along the expressway, radiating and driving the development of digital innovation in the region.

"In the context of continuous disruptive innovation and the accelerating iteration of markets and technologies, nurturing digital industry clusters helps to leverage both their agglomeration effect and the technology spillover effect," said Yang Xiaojing, head of Qingpu District.

Judged by its output, the digital trunk line is already unleashing innovative energy and empowering high-quality regional development.

According to official statistics, the value of Qingpu's software and information services industry has grown significantly for two consecutive years, reaching 48 billion yuan.  

"The development of new quality productive forces in the Yangtze River Delta has been facilitated by favorable conditions and has shown significant results," said Zeng Gang, director of the Institute of Urban Development, East China Normal University.

"Looking ahead, the coordinated development of the Yangtze River Delta is expected to advance comprehensively in broader areas," Zeng added. 

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