Jiaxing hosts 25% of Zhejiang's foreign-funded R&D centers

A robotic arm operates on an automated production line at Grenzebach Machinery's Jiashan plant in Jiaxing. [Photo/WeChat account: jxfabu]

Eight companies in Jiaxing, Zhejiang province, have been included in the province's fourth batch of provincial-level foreign-funded research and development centers, with new entries ranking second in Zhejiang. The city now hosts 32 such centers, over a quarter of the provincial total.

The eight include Tiankang Technology, established by German care bed brand Tecforcare in the city's Xiuzhou district; AccuPath Medical; EverProX Technologies; and‌ Jiaxing Dongfang Steel Cord.

Sensors embedded in Tiankang's care beds — exported to more than 50 countries — track heart rate, breathing, and movement, while AI analysis of the data can help screen for chronic disease risks, said Wei Xiaole, the company's AI and smart technology project lead.

German manufacturer Grenzebach Machinery's Jiashan plant in Jiaxing has localized 90 percent of its supply chain, and its partnership with local solar glass maker Flat Glass Group has boosted the plant's market share from 5 percent to 44 percent.

In the first eight months, high-tech industries in Jiaxing attracted about $1.02 billion in actual foreign investment, up 39.2 percent year-on-year and accounting for 46.8 percent of the total, ranking second in Zhejiang, according to the Jiaxing municipal bureau of commerce.