This is not just another development zone; it's a provincial-level pilot for China's carbon peaking and neutrality goals.
Spanning 31 square kilometers, the park uses a combination of green electricity and hydrogen energy to power industries. I even got to ride a hydrogen-powered bike â€" I pedaled lightly, and the bike accelerated almost effortlessly. It felt like a glimpse into the future of clean mobility.
Next was Jiangsu Yueda Textile Group. Walking into their 400-million-yuan intelligent factory felt like entering another world. Everything runs on 5G-connected machinery, from spinning to weaving to dyeing. Robots work with precision, minimizing errors and reducing the workforce per 10,000 spindles by 72%, while increasing efficiency by 30%.
It's a National Green Factory, and seeing how traditional textile production has transformed into a smart operation left a lasting impression.
At Jiangsu Yueda Kia Automobile Co., the scale of innovation was even more striking. The company can manufacture a full car body in just 50 seconds, producing around 1,000 vehicles per day, with exports to more than 70 countries.
Inside the smart factory, 558 robots work in harmony, achieving 100 percent automation in the welding workshop. This is Yancheng's global face â€" competitive, efficient, and forward-looking.
Technology here isn't limited to industry. At the Yandu Digital Agriculture Science and Technology Park, I saw how big data and real-time sales information are used to build a smart agricultural ecosystem.
This park connects markets across eastern and western China, ensuring products move efficiently. It showed me how technology can make farming not only smarter but also more inclusive.
Yancheng's Cross-Border E-Commerce Industrial Park is another example. Hosting over 80 companies, including Alibaba International Station and Sinotrans DHL, the park links local industries with global markets.
Walking through its modern facilities, I could sense how the city is positioning itself as a trade and logistics hub with a digital backbone.
The Yangtze River Delta Digital Audiovisual Industry Base offered a completely different experience. Here, technology meets creativity. I explored virtual studios and interactive digital human technologies.
It's the first digital audiovisual industry base in the region, bringing together more than 100 companies and building an ecosystem for content production, simulation, and digital services.
My technological journey also took me to Jiangsu Tianyi Aviation Industry Co., a company that has become a national leader in 5G airport technology. Founded in 2011, it focuses on developing 38 types of airport-specific equipment and has played a major role in setting national civil aviation standards.
Walking through its facilities, I was struck by how innovation drives every corner â€" from the precision engineering labs to the smart systems that power modern airports. It was inspiring to see how a local company has gained national recognition for shaping the future of aviation technology.
What ties all these places together is Yancheng's clear vision: to lead in green, smart, and globally connected industries. As I moved from one site to another, I felt I wasn't just observing innovation; I was standing inside a living model of a future many cities aspire to build.
Christian Mugisha
