The Nantong Economic and Technology Development Area has plans to double scientific and technological innovations by 2015, including R&D investment, new high-tech, industrial output, number of researchers, and numbers of high-tech enterprises. The area also expects to quadruple its number of patents and investment in start-ups. Qu Baoxian, the area's Party secretary, said the area will play the role of policies, platforms and talents in scientific and technological innovation strategy.

Some enterprises in the NETDA, including the Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industry Co and Wison Offshore & Marine Ltd, are taking advantages of scientific and technological improvements for their first strike in transformation.

The NETDA considers the development of innovative sites, such as business incubators and accelerators very important for encouraging R&D activities. NETDA's two incubators have brought in 40 projects, including the McCullough Pharmaceutical Co. The area's accelerator has as many as 15 new high-tech projects such as Jiangsu Huidong Cartronics Co and Aris Pharmaceuticals, in the 100000-square-meter space.

The area has a talent package program to introduce talented personnel and provides rewards and start-up capital. It also builds innovative sites such as R&D organizations, new high-tech enterprises, and post-doc research stations. Talented personnel can get some training through real projects.

Edited by Zhao Qian and Roger Bradshaw