The twin towers of the Oriental Gate, a new landmark building, were merged together at the top earlier this year. It is expected to become the highest building in Suzhou.

Eighteen years is time enough for an infant to grow into an adult, and it is also plenty of time for an experimental industrial park to mature into a prosperous new district.

Over the years, the Suzhou Industrial Park has emerged as a marvelous new town within a city that is capable of attracting businesses and entrepreneurs from around the world. In the colorful days of May, the Suzhou Industrial Park holds a series of activities to celebrate its annual anniversary.

As it marks this grand anniversary, there is much good news to encourage people, entrepreneurs and government leaders within the park.

Suzhou Center, a new city complex in the industrial park, broke ground on May 20.

According to the blueprint, Suzhou Center covers 21.1 hectares and the floor area totals more than 18.2 million square meters.

Ten skyscrapers will be constructed in the future, two of which will be 450 and 500 meters high, respectively.

The total investment is expected to amount to 28.5 billion yuan, and the construction is to be completed by the end of June 2017.

Because of its unique location in the west of the Jinji Lake, Suzhou Center enjoys the convenience brought by the development of transportation in the Suzhou Industrial Park, especially the Metro Line No 1 and Line No 5.

Besides that, hotels, shopping malls and other facilities will be constructed as well. Suzhou Center will be the biggest city complex in China in the near future, and it will also bring prosperity to the service industry of the Suzhou Industrial Park.

On the morning of May 20, department store Shinkong Mitsukoshi broke ground on a new location in the park, and it will welcome its first customers in 2014.

Shinkong Mitsukoshi is a leading retail chain brand in Taiwan.

After two decades of constant efforts, it continues to innovate and offer a pleasant shopping experience.

The Shinkong Mitsukoshi Suzhou Industrial Park store is to be located at the center of Jinji Lake business district, with a total floor area of 162,000 square meters dedicated to general merchandise shopping and offices.

In addition, to celebrate its 18th anniversary, the park organized on May 20 a joint contract-signing and opening ceremony at the SIPAC Building.

China Mobile Jiangsu unveiled a plaque for its e-business base, and the park's government signed contracts with 18 high-tech projects, including Sepax Technologies and UNIHZ Technologies.

Also, 14 projects in emerging sectors, including Tongcheng and Snail, were announced at the ceremony. All these projects add up to a total of 46 billion yuan.

Huang Xueying of Sepax Technologies, Zhang Pengfei of Beken Corporation, and Jiang Biwang of Nano-Micro Biotech, recognized by the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee as Three Global Experts, said the Suzhou Industrial Park was the first choice for their business startups.

Officials also announced at the grand celebration ceremony that the Suzhou Industrial Park now has more than 4,600 multinational enterprises and 250 R&D centers.

The Suzhou Dushu Lake Education Innovation Park Administrative Committee and the National Library Board of Singapore announced the official opening of the China-Singapore Window on the morning of May 24 at Dushu Lake Library.

The cooperation program integrates several functions of literature search, exchanges, exhibitions, research, and consultancy services.

The two parties signed a long-term memorandum and agreed to extensive cooperation in data exchange, content development and HR communication.

The project was initiated last year, and the China-Singapore Theme Literature Center will also serve as an important platform for studying and introducing the experience of the industrial park.

zhoufurong@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 07/06/2012 page17)