On September 11, the Huai’an Municipal Government held a press conference to introduce the Several Policies for Accelerating the Construction of a Scientific and Technological Innovation Hub for Important Industries in Northern Yangtze River Delta (hereinafter referred to as the Policies). The conference outlined the city's measures to enhance independent innovation capabilities and accelerate the development of new quality productive forces.

The Policies aim to implement the spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the important speech by General Secretary Xi Jinping regarding work in Jiangsu. They are designed to earnestly carry out the decisions and deployments of the provincial committee and government concerning the creation of a globally influential industrial and technological innovation center and the acceleration of the construction of a new quality productive force. The goal is to expedite the development of a scientific and technological innovation hub for important industries in northern Yangtze River Delta in Huai'an. The Policies consist of 7 main components with a total of 18 measures, including strengthening the cultivation of scientific and technological innovation entities, building high-level platforms, breaking through key core technologies, ensuring the smooth flow of the entire innovation chain, attracting high-level talent, providing comprehensive service guarantees, and creating a supportive societal atmosphere.

First, reinforce the role of enterprises in technological innovation. The Policies increase the R&D investment subsidy for enterprises from RMB 500,000 to RMB 800,000. The reward standard for first-time recognition as a high-tech enterprise is raised from RMB 400,000 to RMB 500,000. New entrants into the provincial gazelle enterprises, potential unicorns, and unicorns will receive rewards of up to RMB 500,000, RMB 1 million, and RMB 2 million, respectively.

Second, enhance platform development. The Policies raise the reward standards for securing national and provincial key laboratories, increasing them from RMB 2 million and RMB 1 million to RMB 5 million and RMB 2 million, respectively. They also clarify rewards for global R&D centers and regional R&D headquarters.

Third, optimize the organizational mechanism for technological innovation. In line with the reform requirements of the national and provincial scientific and technological project systems, the Policies adjust the municipal technology project system, focus areas, and organizational methods, emphasizing support for applied basic research and breakthroughs in key core technologies within leading and emerging industries.

Fourth, implement more open and effective talent policies. The Policies provide direct research funding support for leading talents (teams) in innovation and entrepreneurship, making the talent policies clearer and the processes more straightforward. A talent evaluation system is established, focused on innovation capacity, quality, effectiveness, and contribution. This system provides supplementary rewards for projects that receive provincial-level or higher scientific and technological awards, encouraging researchers to engage actively in high-level scientific research.