The lake system of Hannan district, Wuhan, Central China's Hubei province. The district is currently administered by WEDZ. [Photo provided to en.whkfq.gov.cn]
The overall development of Hannan district has been largely accelerated after coming under the jurisdiction of the Wuhan Economic & Technological Development Zone (WEDZ).
Focusing on the integrated development with the district in mechanisms, industries, city governance, welfare and eco-system, the zone has worked out innovative approaches to promote the flows of industry and capital to the district, which has been entirely transformed from a hardly known countryside to an industrial hot land with a brand-new image presented.
Many key new energy vehicle (NEV) and intelligent connected vehicle (ICV) projects have been established in Hannan district along Dongfeng Avenue. Among WEDZ's seven industrial parks, four are based in the district.
The intelligent connected and electric automobile industrial park, for example, is home to 770 enterprises, among which 169 are above a designated size, 21 are foreign-funded, and 77 are high-tech enterprises. The industrial park has generated 36 billion yuan ($5 billion) in total revenue, ranking second among the seven industrial parks.
A station on Wuhan's Metro Line 16. [Photo provided to en.whkfq.gov.cn]
Wuhan's Metro Line 16 – dubbed the most beautiful metro line in the city – recently opened, shortening the distance between Hannan district (which was the only remaining district in Wuhan with no subway access to Wuhan's core areas) and the urban area of the city.
The opening of the line also makes it more convenient for commuters working on construction projects in Hannan, including Lotus' global smart workshop, and other NEV and supporting projects launched by Xpeng and CALB.
By 2017, the 15 bus routes that cover the Shamao, Dengnan, Xiangkou and Dongjing areas of the district had benefited more than 100,000 locals.
By the end of 2021, WEDZ had managed to establish relocated communities, build 21,000 relocation apartments, and raise Hannan's urbanization rate to 86.3 percent, up 22 percentage points.
Last year, the zone ranked 11th among China's top 100 industrial development zones, ranking first both in Hubei and Central China, and its successful experience in integrated development with Hannan district has been recognized and promoted nationwide.
