Ma Xiaohui, secretary of the CPC Huzhou municipal committee, claims that Huzhou is at the height of its development and is full of vitality and business opportunities during a promotional conference held by the city in Shanghai on July 15. [Photo/WeChat account: huzhoufabu] 

Huzhou is currently at the height of development, full of vitality and business opportunities, said Ma Xiaohui, secretary of the CPC Huzhou municipal committee. 

Addressing a promotional conference held by the city in Shanghai on July 15, Ma extended a heartfelt welcome to guests looking to invest or start business in the city, pledging that the local government will optimize services and create a congenial business climate for them.

The promotional conference, attended by over 300 guests including government officials, entrepreneurs, and reporters, is part of the city's efforts to enhance its international profile and boost local economic growth. 

Huzhou, located in northern Zhejiang, is known for silk production. Over 100 years ago, ships loaded with silk produced in the city sailed overseas en route Shanghai, and since then Huzhou and Shanghai have maintained close ties. 

Stressing the importance of the manufacturing sector to the nation's economic development, Zhou Hanmin, vice chairman of the CPPCC Shanghai Committee, mentioned that Jili silk from Huzhou is the first domestic industrial brand to win an international award. 

He expressed hope that Huzhou will continue to advance the modernization of the manufacturing industry by drawing inspiration from its profound history, helping transform "Made in China" to "Created in China" and from "Chinese products" to "Chinese brands". 

Jili silk, produced in Jili Village, Huzhou, made an international name for itself in 1851 when it won the first gold prize for China during the World Expo.

Zhou also expressed hope that the city would ride the wave of opportunities spawned by the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta, which has been upgraded into a national development strategy. 

During the conference, Shanghai's Fengxian district, Huzhou, and Wuxing district reached framework agreements to increase cooperation.

A signing ceremony for 12 investment projects to be established in Huzhou's Southern Taihu Lake New District was also held on the sidelines of the conference. The projects had a combined value of 56.61 billion yuan ($8.2 billion) and involved high-end equipment, biomedicine, recreation, and tourism.