Haimen district, a vital part of Nantong's main urban area, boasts a 61-kilometer coastline along the Yangtze River and a 25-kilometer coastline along the Yellow Sea. Renowned as the "Gateway to the Yangtze River and the Yellow Sea" and "Little-Pudong", the district has a total area of 1,149 square kilometers and nearly 1 million permanent residents. 

It is the hometown of Zhang Jian, a top scholar in the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), and a well-known industrialist and educator. It is also recognized as a hub for science and technology, education, textiles, construction, safety, and ecological conservation.

Foreign friends pose for a photo during the Sino-French cultural exchanges event in Haimen district, Nantong on April 14. [Photo provided to en.nantong.gov.cn]

Haimen, previously a county-level city, became a district of Nantong in 2020. It is the first county-level city north of the Yangtze River in Jiangsu to meet comprehensive socioeconomic well-being standards, with a GDP exceeding 100 billion yuan ($13.81 billion), and has been awarded the title of "Advanced County (City, District) in Promoting High-Quality Development" by the province.

In 2023, it ranked 18th in the "National Top 100 Areas in Comprehensive Strength" and 6th in the province.

In 2024, Haimen district's GDP is expected to reach 177.2 billion yuan, reflecting a 6.5 percent growth. The district anticipates 7.7 billion yuan in general public budget revenue, while total retail sales of consumer goods are projected at 53.5 billion yuan, up 3.6 percent. Foreign trade is set to hit 36.7 billion yuan, also growing by 3.6 percent. Taxable sales from large-scale industrial enterprises are forecast to reach 182 billion yuan, marking a 22.9 percent increase. Actual foreign investment is expected to total $200 million. Meanwhile, per capita disposable income is projected at 67,400 yuan for urban residents  and 38,800 yuan for rural residents.