A total of 443 investment projects were introduced to major industrial zones in Yunfu, a mountainous city of Guangdong province, in the first 11 months, according to a top government official.

Combined investment for the projects, of which some were invested by Fortune Global 500 companies, totaled more than 70 billion yuan, according to Zhuo Zhiqiang, mayor of Yunfu.

"Yunfu will be an ideal place to host industries moving from the booming Pearl River Delta and overseas," Zhuo said.

Yunfu currently has four provincial-level industrial zones, which play an increased role for local economic development, according to Zhuo.

The economy of Yunfu, which is known for its leading position in the stone materials industry, grew by 10.3 percent year-on-year in the first three quarters, according to the local statistics authority.

The city has more than 5,000 stone material manufacturers, making it the country's largest city in terms of industrial output.