The development of Suzhou New District was launched by Suzhou City Government in Nov., 1990 in accordance with the guideline of "preservation of the old city and construction of a new city" by the State Council. It was approved as national new & hi-tech industrial development zone by the State Council in Nov., 1992. It was appointed as one of the first APEC science parks in China in 1997. It was designated by the State Environmental Protection Administration Bureau as the first National Demonstration Area of ISO 14000 in 1999. In 2000 it was approved by China MOFTEC and the Ministry of Science and Technology as the Hi-Tech Products Export Processing Base. In 2001, it was approved by the Ministry of Science and Technology and State Environmental Protection Administration Bureau as the first National Hi-Tech Environmental Protection Industrial Development Zone. In April, 2003 it was approved by the State Council as the export processing zone. The total area of Suzhou New District is 258 m2 with a population of 258,000. Suzhou New District administers Tong'an Sub-Zone, Dongzhu Sub-Zone, Xushuguan Sub-Zone, Export Processing Zone and 7 townships.
....With the objectives of pooling hi-tech industries, building a new city and establishing new systems, Suzhou New District has made great efforts in constructing top-flight infrastructures and utilities while establishing streamlined, efficient and standardized management and service mechanism after the development was formally launched. The economy and social undertakings in Suzhou New District have achieved wholesome and sustained growth. GDP, industrial sales value, tax revenue, and export volume are RMB 20.4 billion, RMB 49.8 billion, RMB 2.85 billion, and USD 4.3 billion respectively in Year 2002. By the end of year 2002, over 660 overseas-invested enterprises have settled down in Suzhou New District with an accumulative contractual investment of USD 5.1 billion, over 30 of which are a Fortune 500 companies. The pillar industries in Suzhou New District are electronics and information, precision machinery, bio-medicine and new materials. Also the technological innovation system highlighted by the startups by overseas Chinese scholars have been introduced and optimized.
....Now the "phase II development" with the northwestern part as the focus has been launched in Suzhou New District in an all-round way. Such strategies as prospering Suzhou New District with technology and education, economic globalization, urbanization and sustainable development will be carried out earnestly in phase II development. GDP per capita, Tax revenue, export volume for 2007 are targeted at USD 15,000, RMB 8 billion and USD 15 billion respectively. Over RMB 26 billion is scheduled to be invested in social fixed assets in the coming five years and over USD 3 billion of overseas investment will be attracted. Suzhou New District is aimed to be built into a lakeshore new city with beautiful scenery, prosperous economy, advanced technology and better living standards.