Suzhou is an important central city in eastern China. Closely neighboring Shanghai, it is located in the core area of the Yangtze River Delta, one of China’s most economically dynamic regions. As a classic water town in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River—known as the Jiangnan region in China—the city has long enjoyed the reputation as the “oriental water city” and “paradise on earth”. With a total area of 8,657.32 square kilometers, Suzhou is home to a population of over 16 million. In 2025, it achieved a regional GDP of 387.7 billion USD, ranking 6th among all the cities in the Chinese mainland and around 20th globally. In terms of the total output of industrial enterprises above designated size and the import & export volume, Suzhou takes up the 2nd and the 4th place respectively among all the cities in the Chinese mainland.

With a history of more than 2,500 years, Suzhou is one of China’s first round of nationally designated historical and cultural cities and a celebrated international tourist destination. Nine classical gardens represented by the Humble Administrator’s Garden and the Suzhou Section of the Grand Canal are listed as UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Sites. Eight items including the Chinese Kunqu Opera, Song Brocade, and Biluochun tea production techniques are inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Suzhou is one of the cities in China with the most international cooperative platforms and foreign investors. It boasts 14 national-level economic development zones, including the China-Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park, and over 19,000 foreign-invested enterprises in actual operation. 185 overseas Fortune Global 500 companies initiated over 500 projects in the city. Suzhou has developed international friendship city relationships with 61 cities. It is a starting point and key linkage of multiple industrial chains in China and beyond. Gathering over 160,000 industrial enterprises, Suzhou enjoys world-class industrial supporting capabilities and vertical integration capacity. Its distinctive and leading industries encompass electronic information, equipment manufacturing, new materials & new energy, biomedicine, artificial intelligence, etc. Suzhou is also a hub of diverse cultures. Its international communities offer a variety of cultural activities and exchange platforms that foster interactions among different cultures. The World Bank and Forbes magazine respectively recognized Suzhou as one of China’s Gold Medal Cities for Investment Environment and the Best Cities for Business in the Chinese Mainland. For fourteen consecutive years, Suzhou has ranked among “China’s Most Attractive Cities for Expats”.