Seven cities designated as coordinated innovation zones of Anhui FTZ

Seven cities in east China’s Anhui province have been designated as zones featuring coordinated innovation of the Anhui Pilot Free Trade Zone, bringing the total number to 13, the Department of Commerce of Anhui Province said.

The move marks that the province is now made up of a free trade zone and 13 coordinated innovation zones and has started to witness their coordinated development.

Those seven cities ----- Huaibei, Suzhou, Huainan, Lu’an, Tongling, Chizhou and Huangshan--- are the second batch of the zones. As early as February, Bozhou, Fuyang, Chizhou, Ma’anshan, Xuancheng and Anqing became the first cities to be approved as coordinated innovation zones.

The State Council, China’s cabinet, gave the nod to the establishment of the Anhui Pilot Free Trade Zone in September 2020. Covering a total area of 119.86 square kilometers, the zone falls into three parts: the Hefei Area, the Wuhu Area and the Bengbu Area.

The coordinated innovation zones are required to replicate and promote free trade zones’ achievements in reforms and innovation as one of their major tasks, the department said, adding that the second coordinated innovation zones will learn and promote 278 items of experience and cases at the national level as well as 44 items of experience from the Anhui Pilot Free Trade Zone.