Thirteen foreign-funded enterprises in Jiaxing, East China's Zhejiang province, were recently named to the latest list of provincial-level foreign R&D centers in Zhejiang.

The number ranks second in the province, reflecting the city's increasingly optimized investment structure and strong momentum in innovation-driven growth.

Among the honorees are Minth Group, Zoppas Industries, and Nidec, all of which have been expanding their research capacity in the city. According to Chu Yiguang, R&D director at Zoppas Industries Jiaxing, the company is accelerating the construction of its China R&D headquarters. It plans to enhance its research talent system and expand laboratory facilities, evolving from a heating element producer into a comprehensive supplier of heating components and systems to support sustainable growth through innovation.

Since attracting its first foreign investor in 1985, Jiaxing has become a dynamic hub for international capital and technology. To date, more than 10,000 foreign-invested enterprises from 115 countries and regions have been established in the city, with total utilized foreign investment reaching $52.5 billion. Jiaxing also hosts 247 projects from 145 Global Fortune 500 companies.

No longer merely a manufacturing base, the city has emerged as an innovation hub in the Yangtze River Delta. Of the foreign enterprises operating in the city, 24 have been recognized as provincial-level R&D centers, accounting for over one-fourth of Zhejiang's total.