From different measurement criteria, the “wealthiest” city in Jiangsu has different answers:
From the perspective of total GDP:
Suzhou is the city with the highest GDP in Jiangsu. In 2023, Suzhou’s GDP reached 2,465.337 billion yuan. It is the only city in the province with a GDP exceeding 2 trillion yuan and is also among the top in the country. Suzhou has a strong industrial foundation and is an important national industrial, manufacturing, and high-tech industrial base. The county-level cities under its jurisdiction, such as Kunshan, Zhangjiagang, and Changshu, also have very strong economic strength. The Suzhou Industrial Park is a national-level development zone that has attracted a large number of international and domestic enterprises. For example, Apple, Samsung, and Huawei have all set up factories here.
From the perspective of per capita GDP:
Wuxi has a relatively high per capita GDP. In 2023, Wuxi’s per capita GDP was as high as 206,000 yuan, leading among all cities in Jiangsu. Wuxi is one of China’s important manufacturing bases, dominated by industries such as machinery, electronics, textiles, and chemicals. In recent years, the new energy industry has also developed rapidly. Its industrial structure is relatively optimized, the quality of economic development is high, and the average income level of residents is also relatively high.
Suzhou has an advantage in total economic output, while Wuxi stands out in terms of per capita GDP. Both of these cities can be said to be relatively developed and “wealthy” cities in Jiangsu. Of course, Nanjing, Nantong, Changzhou and other cities also have considerable economic strength and play an important role in the economic development of Jiangsu.