A bird's-eye view of the Wuhan Economic & Technological Development Zone (WEDZ). [Photo provided to en.whkfq.gov.cn]
The Wuhan Economic & Technological Development Zone (WEDZ) in Wuhan, Central China's Hubei province, saw its GDP reach 215.04 billion yuan ($29.96 billion) in 2023, up 7 percent year-on-year, and ranking first among the three national development zones in the city.
Over the last year, WEDZ reported a 6.6-percent increase in the added value of industries above a designated size, 2 percentage points higher than the city's average. The total output of industries above a designated size exceeded the 360-billion-yuan threshold, taking the top spot in Wuhan. In addition, its annual new energy vehicle (NEV) production volume surged by 30 percent.
The 2023 growth rate of the added value related to the service industry in the zone remained at 7.1 percent, with its contribution to GDP rising by 3.1 percentage points. The sales volume of other profitable services reported an increase of 23.2 percent, ranking among the top three in Wuhan.
The total retail sales of consumer goods in WEDZ also rose 18.2 percent, and the zone signed 104 investment projects with the gross contract volume coming in at 195 billion yuan, a record high both in terms of the contract number and volume.
The disposable income of WEDZ's urban residents over the last year was 54,529 yuan, up 6 percent, and that of rural residents was 30,856 yuan, up 8 percent. These growth rates all exceed the municipal average.
