A workshop in Huzhou, East China's Zhejiang province. [Photo/hz66.com]

A ceremony was held in East China's Zhejiang province on July 11 to honor distinguished scientists, engineers, and research achievements in the province.

Eighteen projects led or participated in by enterprises and institutions in Huzhou were conferred with provincial science and technology awards, including the Zhejiang Technological Invention Award and the Zhejiang Scientific and Technological Progress Award.

Specifically, two projects from the city won the first prize of the Zhejiang Scientific and Technological Progress Award, three were second prize winners of the award, and 12 were honored with the third prize.

In addition, one project won the third prize of the Zhejiang Scientific and Technological Progress Award.

Of the 18 award recipients, 10 were led by enterprises and institutions in Huzhou.

Huzhou has in recent years made concerted efforts to spur innovation as it pursues the goal of becoming an innovation hub in the Yangtze River Delta.

The city was ranked 30th nationwide in China in terms of innovation capability in 2021, according to a report released by the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China. The report evaluated 72 cities which were included in the program launched by the Ministry of Science and Technology to create innovation-driven cities.

Last year, Huzhou's R&D spending accounted for 3.15 percent of the city's economic output. Its investments in high-tech industries grew by 31.5 percent from a year earlier, with the growth rate being the second highest in the province.

In addition, the proportion of its technology transaction value in GDP was the second highest in Zhejiang. Huzhou also topped the province in terms of the number of newly added provincial level talents in 2021, according to official data.