A view of Nanhu district in Jiaxing, East China's Zhejiang province. [Photo/WeChat account: jxfabu]

Nanhu district in Jiaxing, East China's Zhejiang province has been ranked 92nd among the top 100 innovative districts in China for 2023, according to a recent report by CCID Consulting, a leading Chinese consulting firm.

The report evaluated the innovation strength of urban districts across the country based on four first-level indexes - innovation ecology, innovation impetus, innovation subject and innovation achievement - and 16 second-level indexes, including gross domestic product, R&D investment, and the number of high-tech enterprises.

Nanhu district is aiming to become an important city in the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration. Innovation has been playing an important role in driving the district's development.

Last year, the district's R&D expenditure accounted for 4.7 percent of its GDP, comparable to global innovative cities such as Shanghai, New York and Tokyo.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Zhejiang Tsinghua Yangtze River Delta Research Institute. The institute has helped the district form a complete innovation ecosystem and attain a series of innovation achievements.

The district had earlier this year announced a plan to build two major platforms for innovation – the Yatai Road Science and Technology Belt and the Urban Innovation Zone – that will enhance its regional competitiveness and foster new engines for regional growth.