The industries most suitable to invest and develop in Nantong include the portside industry relying on riverside and seacoast advantages, livelihood industry drawing on traditional advantageous industries, and hi-tech industry supported by talent advantages.

(Ⅰ) Portside Industry Relying on Riverside & Seacoast Advantages

a. Fine Chemical and Petrochemical Industries
By fully utilizing the advantage of the huge volume reserve of its resource environment, Nantong will construct a production base for the burgeoning basic chemical industry along the river, and actively develop the extended fine chemical and new medicine industry, so as to form a chemical industrial chain. In addition, the city will develop large basic petrochemical projects with a high reliance on the port in the area where the river and sea converge relying on the ports along the coast.
b . Steel Industry
The city will make greater efforts to promote investment and attract large enterprises to invest in projects such as bridge-use steel rope and steel for automobile making.
c . Ship-building and Its Supporting Industries
By strengthening the policy of “ increasing the assets and stocks and promoting foreign investment ” , the city will rapidly improve the scale and level of its shipbuilding industry in an attempt to occupy the limited market space. The city will also make great efforts to develop the supporting industry for shipbuilding, seeking breakthroughs in attracting investment in the production of major ship components such as steel plates and principal machines used on vessels.
d . New Materials Industry
The city will pay attention to develop microelectronic materials, materials for electronic components, macromolecule material, new textile materials, high performance metals, high quality strengthened inorganic materials, etc.
e . Food and Feed Processing Industry
The city will make adequate use of its rich and relatively advantageous riverbank, agriculture, and maritime resources to concentrate on the processing of aquatic products, grains and edible oils, meat products, vegetables, serial health-aid and nutrition products, and various high added-value feeds, etc.
f. Papermaking Industry
The city will employ advanced technological processes and technologies in accordance with the hygienic production requirements in an attempt to form a papermaking enterprise group.
g. Modern Trade Logistics Industry
The city will concentrate on constructing a number of regional trade logistics centers such as Comprehensive Trade Logistics Center of Nantong Port, cultivating third party trade logistics enterprises, and encouraging multinational companies and large logistics trade businesses in Shanghai to set up subsidiaries in Nantong. The city will actively attract multinational companies to establish product supplying, processing, storage, and shipping center by utilizing the export processing area.
h . Tourism
The city will make full use of the natural scenery along the river and the historic and cultural resources to accelerate the development of characterized tourism. It will concentrate on project construction and investment promotion, including the construction of so-called One City (NO.1 City of Modern China), One Water and Two Islands (Changqing Shoal, Kaisha Island, and Xinglong Shoal), Three Gardens (Jianghai Pleasure Garden, Qidong Swamp Park, and Wolf Lang Mountain Forest Park), and Five Mountains. A corridor for riverside and seaside leisure and ecological tourism will soon take shape.

(Ⅱ) Livelihood Industry Drawing on Traditional Industries

a. Modern Textile Industry

The city is dedicated to form a special unique product structure by expanding traditional textile products such as cotton and burette spinning and strengthening the development and production of hi-tech textile and garment materials and chemical fibers with high added value. The city will also make great efforts to develop and expand the production of industry-use and decorative textile.

b . Light Industry and Household Products

Encourage foreign-funded enterprises to cooperate extensively with our city's enterprises, enhance the grade of light industry and household products, and stimulate foreign capital to actively invest in labor-intensive light industry and household products highly competitive in the international market.

c. Metal and Electromechanical Products

Bring into full play the accumulated advantages of existing electromechanical products, encourage foreign businessmen to invest in the construction of the electric tools manufacturing and distribution center, and develop such projects as brand new metal and electromechanical products as well as metal rollers, etc.

d. Automobile Spare Parts

Actively encourage foreign capital to invest in and develop automobile spare part products through engrafting and reformation process.

e. Modern Agriculture

Nantong will utilize its fertile soil and excellent ecological environment to develop a super quality and high efficient modern agriculture with special characteristics. At the same time, it will make great efforts to develop pollution-free and green agricultural products.

(Ⅲ) Hi-tech Industry Supported by the Advantages in Human Resources

a . Electronic Information Industry

By seizing the opportunity of the migration of international IT manufacturing and the transition of information industry pushed by the state toward digitalization and network with basic microelectronic and 3C products as the mainstream products, the city will lay emphasis on developing new electronic components as well as microelectronic, fiber optic, and photoelectric products.

b . Biological Medicine

Encourage foreign businessmen to develop and manufacture western medicines and biological ferment products and accelerate the industrialization of traditional Chinese patent medicines.