As the birthplace of Wu culture, the history of Xinwu district dates back to more than 3,300 years ago. But, at the end of the 11th century BC, Prince Tai Bo and his brother Prince Zhong Yong, heirs to the throne of Zhou, traveled south from the present-day Qishan Mountain in Shanxi province to an area of wilderness where they stumbled upon Meili, now known as Meicun Town. Keen to avoid creating issues for the dynasty's next ruler -- Ji Li, the third and youngest son of Emperor Zhoutai -- they arrived in Meili and chose to blend in with their new neighbors, determinedly cutting their hair short and tattooing their bodies.

Under Tai Bo's guidance, the people began to construct irrigation systems, develop agriculture, plant mulberries and breed silkworms, as well as make pottery and smelt copper. Thanks in part to the favor he obtained with the locals, Tai Bo then established the Gou Wu Kingdom. His refusal to take credit for the development achievements of Jiangnan (regions south of the Yangtze River) has won Tai Bo much respect and recognition as the founding father of Wu culture and made him much admired by later generations.

For more than 3,000 years, the spirit of Wu culture, which highlights "morality, culture, pragmatism, and innovation", has been passed on from one generation to another, bringing prosperity and abundance to the region.

In 1992, Wuxi National High-tech District was established with the approval of the State Council. Three years later, approved by the State Council and the provincial government, Xinwu district was established on the basis of Wuxi National High-tech District and Wuxi New District.

Geography and Transportation

Wuxi National High-tech District (Xinwu district) is located in the southeast of Wuxi, connecting with Suzhou to the east and Taihu Lake to the south. The administrative area is 220 square kilometers. It has jurisdiction over Wangzhuang, Shuofang, Jiangxi, Meicun and Hongshan, and the Xin'an sub-districts. The latest data shows the resident population of the whole district to be 728,500 people.

Xinwu enjoys an array of water, land and air transportation options facilitated by an international airport, an intercity high-speed railway, the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal and a number of expressways. Wuxi Shuofang Airport, for example, currently has more than 40 direct routes to Hong Kong, Macao, Taipei, Tokyo, Osaka, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and a number of domestic cities, and has been officially recognized as a port for 240-hour visa-free transit. The Shanghai-Nanjing Intercity High-speed Railway has three stops in Wuxi, including one located in Xinwu, shortening the travel time to Shanghai to only 30 minutes, while a trip to Beijing can be completed in just 4.5 hours.

Technological Innovation and Industrial Development

More than 30 years of development have turned Wuxi National High-tech District (Xinwu district) into Wuxi's most important economic growth pole with its role as a window opening to the outside world, a technological innovation base and a transformation development engine becoming increasingly essential. Today it encompasses a modern industrial system supported by pillar industrial clusters developing microelectronics, new energy, high-end equipment manufacturing, the Internet of Things, new materials, new-type display technology and life sciences.

Xinwu has fulfilled national strategies by developing the National Sensor Network Innovation Demonstration Zone and the South Jiangsu National Innovation Demonstration Zone at a high level. Xinwu also owns a high-caliber overseas talent innovation and entrepreneurship base, an automotive electronics and components industry base included in the National Torch Program, a national inspection and certification base, an expert service base and a smart logistics demonstration base.

Other parks whose establishment has already been approved include a national innovation park, a national ecological industry demonstration zone and a national pilot zone for intellectual property.

WND reported strong economic performance in 2024, achieving a regional GDP of 264.53 billion yuan ($36.9 billion), up 6.0 percent year-on-year and 0.2 percentage points higher than the Wuxi average. The district's per capita GDP surpassed 360,000 yuan, ranking first among all counties and districts in Jiangsu province. General public budget revenue reached 26.59 billion yuan, ranking third among all county-level areas in the province.

Fixed asset investment totaled 82.38 billion yuan, with industrial investment accounting for 44.19 billion yuan, up 13 percent and ranking first in the city. WND attracted 145 major industrial projects worth over 100 million yuan each, including 18 exceeding 1 billion yuan and one exceeding 10 billion yuan.

Wholesale sales reached 379.96 billion yuan, a 10.5 percent increase — 4.5 percentage points above the city average. Retail sales totaled 37.29 billion yuan, up 7.5 percent.

High-tech industries contributed 78.4 percent of the total above-designated-scale industrial output, ranking first citywide for the first time in recent years. Over 3,000 new tech companies were introduced and more than 1,800 national-level high-tech enterprises operated in the zone, both city-leading figures. Five companies went public in 2024, the highest number among all county-level jurisdictions in the province.

WND maintained second place nationwide in the integrated circuit park competitiveness rankings and rose to 18th among national biopharmaceutical industry parks. Future industries saw an output of over 70 billion yuan, accounting for more than 60 percent of the city's total. The national high-tech zone's ranking climbed for the fifth consecutive year to 17th.

Total above-designated-scale industrial output exceeded 660 billion yuan, with core digital economy revenues reaching 366.35 billion yuan (up 9.9 percent). Emerging industries accounted for 55.4 percent of total output, the highest in Wuxi.

Foreign trade hit a record high of 393.78 billion yuan, up 10.5 percent year-on-year and accounting for 51.1 percent of the city's total. WND continues to lead in outward investment, service outsourcing, and trade in services. It was also named a provincial-level headquarters economy cluster — one of only three in Jiangsu. Its comprehensive bonded zone expansion has been approved by the General Administration of Customs of China. The zone's import-export volume rose to 2nd in Jiangsu and 7th nationwide.

Environmental quality also improved, with 84 percent of days recording good air quality and 100 percent of monitored water bodies rated at or above Grade III. PM2.5 levels and air quality rates reached historic bests.

Urban residents' per capita disposable income hit 78,691 yuan, ranking second in the city and achieving the highest growth rate. The district added 31,300 new urban jobs in 2024.

Perfect for Living and Working

Wuxi National High-tech District (Xinwu district) has established a sound public cultural service system recognized by the Ministry of Culture. The district makes every effort to meet people's high expectations for modern, balanced, intelligent and international education. The development of a three-level medical treatment alliance and smart medical system has also been accelerated in a bid to provide comprehensive, full-cycle health services to the public. Xinwu has a vision of creating a green space service cycle which has parks reachable within a 10-minute walk.

By the end of 2022, WND was home to 68 kindergartens, 38 primary and middle schools, three public high schools, three international schools, and one special education school. It also had 256 medical institutions, including six general hospitals and eight community healthcare centers.

International Life

Xinwu has a foreign population of 6,000. International communities such as Sekisui Residence and Yamato Housing provide expats with a world-class living environment while Boston St. Joseph International School, Wuxi Korean School, Eaton International School and other global institutions ensure high-quality education for their children. High-end hospitals, international banks, deluxe hotels and large shopping malls have also helped establish a community containing all of the comforts of home.

Wu Culture and its Timeless Appeal

As the birthplace of Jiangnan civilization and Wu culture, the great historical figures that have had a good influence on Xinwu's history are always remembered, educating people on such aspects as ethics, marital harmony and bravery. The highly appraised Wuxi Qian family has produced plenty of notable figures and famous scholars, including six academicians belonging to the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering in the modern age. They include cultural master Qian Mu (1895-1990) and dynamics expert Qian Weichang (1912-2010).

The cultural atmosphere is especially strong at heritage sites such as Taibo Tomb, Taibo Temple, Bodu ditch, Hongshan Relic Museum, Jinghui Temple, and the former residences of Qian Mu and Qian Weichang.

Scenery with Hills and Waters

Xinwu is located in the core protection zone of Taihu Lake Scenic Area, bestowed with the picturesque landscape of Hongshan and loved for its fresh air. Over 10,000 mu (667 hectares) of farmland weaves through the region, showing off a different kind of tranquility. Other attractions include Lianghong National Wetland Park, Jiangsu Province Hongshan Tourism Resort, Hongshan Urban Agricultural Ecological Park and Taihu Lake Wetland Park.