HANGZHOU, China, Feb. 25, 2026 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/--

The Hangzhou Municipal Government has recently approved the official names for five stations along Metro Line 10 and the Hangzhou-Deqing Intercity Railway (Yuhang Section). Within the core area of Yuhang Economic Development Zone, two stations have been renamed: Renhe South Station is now "Dongshanyang Station," while Renhe North Station has been designated "Qihang Road Station" (literally "Setting Sail Road"). Serving as the northern terminus of Metro Line 10's extension and a critical transfer hub for the Hangzhou-Deqing Intercity Railway, Qihang Road Station is surrounded by key industrial projects including BYD Hangzhou and Hua Guang Advanced Materials. The name not only precisely marks the geographical location but also symbolizes the area's role as a new starting point for the integrated industrial-urban development of Yuhang Economic Development Zone. With construction of the relevant lines advancing at full speed, the future network will seamlessly connect Hangzhou's main urban area, Yuhang Economic Development Zone, and Deqing County, further strengthening regional transportation advantages and injecting robust momentum into industrial and talent mobility.

Located in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, Yuhang District sits at the heart of the Yangtze River Delta, serving as Hangzhou's gateway to Shanghai, Jiangsu and Anhui. As a provincial-level economic development zone approved by the Zhejiang Provincial Government, Yuhang Economic Development Zone functions as the district's primary industrial platform and stands as the nearest smart manufacturing cluster to Hangzhou's administrative center. Situated at the southern end of the Hangjiahu Plain and bordering the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal to the east, the zone enjoys exceptional geographical and transportation advantages: approximately 50 kilometers from Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport, about 20 kilometers from both Hangzhou East and Hangzhou West railway stations, and accessible via seven expressways as well as Metro Line 10.

The zone focuses on smart manufacturing as its primary development direction, emphasizing three leading industries: new equipment, new materials, and new energy - collectively forming a "One Smart, Three New" industrial system. It also concentrates on niche sectors such as integrated circuits, robotics and digital energy, continuously cultivating new quality productive forces. Currently, the zone has established industrial clusters represented by enterprises including Nanfang Pump, Huaguang Advanced Materials and BYD Hangzhou, attracting numerous upstream and downstream industry chain enterprises.

In terms of innovation ecosystem development, Yuhang Economic Development Zone has partnered with Zhejiang University to establish the Advanced Electrical Equipment Innovation Center, led by a full-time chief scientist who is an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering. The center has undertaken multiple national and provincial-level research projects in fields such as new energy vehicle electric drive systems and intelligent robotic servo systems. The zone also boasts over 570,000 square meters of incubation space, including the state-level incubator Smart Manufacturing Innovation and Entrepreneurship Industrial Park, creating a comprehensive cultivation system covering all stages of enterprise growth.

To attract high-quality global resources, the zone offers a series of substantial and targeted supportive policies. For project support, eligible projects receive equipment subsidies and independent R&D grants; manufacturing enterprises that accumulate actual utilized foreign investment meeting specified thresholds are awarded incentives. Industry-specific policies are equally concrete and robust: integrated circuit enterprises receive subsidies for initial tape-out costs; eligible "low-altitude economy" enterprises enjoy workspace rental subsidies for specified periods; and production-oriented and R&D enterprises in the robotics sector that achieve certain annual main business income thresholds receive one-time rewards.

Yuhang Economic Development Zone adheres to the development philosophy of "Establishing the Zone through Environment, Revitalizing the Zone through Technology, and Strengthening the Zone through Smart Manufacturing," steadily advancing regional industrial upgrading and comprehensive development. Currently, educational, medical, commercial, and residential amenities within the zone are increasingly comprehensive, including multiple primary and secondary schools, the Yuhang District Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine (under construction), the Fangzheng Plaza commercial complex, and ready-to-move-in talent-specific rental housing, providing all-around support for enterprises and talent.

At present, leveraging continuous upgrades to its transportation network and ongoing improvements to its industrial ecosystem, Yuhang Economic Development Zone is steadily unleashing the vitality of smart manufacturing development, with industrial clustering effects and innovation-driven capabilities steadily enhancing. Moving forward, the zone will continue to promote the clustering and high-quality development of smart manufacturing industries through measures including optimizing the business environment, strengthening policy guidance, and building cooperation platforms, steadily advancing toward its goal of becoming a national-level economic and technological development zone.

Source: Yuhang Economic Development Zone

Caption: Aerial view of Yuhang Economic Development Zone

--BERNAMA