Taihu National Tourist Resort Zone

Taihu National Tourist Resort Zone [Photo provided to govt.chinadaily.com.cn]

Taihu National Tourist Resort Zone, covering an area of 65 square kilometers in Mashan, a peninsula in southwest Wuxi, Jiangsu province, is a State-level tourist resort zone set up by the State Council in October 1992.

The zone customizes the developing concept of combing historic culture and natural landscapes in tourism, through which a batch of highlighted tourist projects have been introduced, including Lingshan scenic spot, Smile Bay Zen Town, Wuxi Taihu International Golf Club and Yuanyi International Resort.

What is more, it has also held several cultural and tourist events, like the fourth World Buddhist Forum, International Fishing Festival, the opening ceremony of China Tourist Day and Tour Taihu Lake Bicycle Racing.

Three characteristic industries have been formed in the zone after years of development: covering tourism and leisure, biopharmaceuticals and advanced manufacturing. A total of over 140 biopharmaceutical companies, such as Real Nutriceutical and Fresenius Kabi SSPC, have settled in the area. It also houses more than 40 companies in advanced manufacturing, whose annual taxable sales reach 30 million yuan ($4.37 million) each year, including Faw Jiefang Automotive Co Ltd Wuxi Diesel Engine Works and Wuxi Huayu Aluminum Co Ltd. Agricultural bases are also set up in the area, owning 533 hectares of waxberry and 133.33 hec tares of tea trees.

In 2017, the zone's budgetary revenue from public finances reached 744 million yuan. The output value of industries above designated size was 10.06 billion yuan and fixed-asset investment was 6.2 billion yuan. Registered foreign capital totaled $188 million. The zone received 10.38 million visitors across the year.