And the financial industry is rapidly developing.

About 80 equity funds have been set up in Kunshan.

And there are eight micro-credit companies to cater to the financing need of rural areas.

The number of modern logistics companies has also exploded in Kunshan in step with the expansion of trade.

At present, there are eight Class-4A logistics companies, 20 Class-3A logistics companies and 21 Class-2A logistics companies.

Class 5A is the top level for logistics companies in China.

The number of logistics companies above Class 1A in Kunshan accounts for almost one-third of the total in Jiangsu province.

Place for exhibition

In addition to robust growth in the service industry, the city is also a top choice for exhibitors thanks to its geographical advantages.

With Shanghai to the east and Suzhou to the west, Kunshan functions as a traffic hub with developed transportation infrastructure.

It is only 30 kilometers away from the Hongqiao transportation hub in Shanghai and 60 kilometers from Port of Shanghai, the largest in China.

There are also expressways linking the city with Shanghai's Pudong Airport and Hongqiao Airport.

With prosperous regional trade within the Yangtze River Delta - the largest economic region in the country- the city attracts many exhibition organizers.

For example, a series of high-profile events were held in Kunshan last year, such as the first China International Import Expo and the seventh China Retailers Convention and Exhibition. Together, they drew 150,000 attendees.

A large batch of well-known companies, such as Siemens, ABB, Mitsubishi, Toyota and Samsung, participated in these events.

The Yangtze River Delta's economic volume accounts for 20 percent of the GDP in China.

Its trade volume accounts for more than 40 percent of the nation's total.

zhoufurong@chinadaily.com.cn