Encouraged by SIP authority, 733 enterprises in the area sent representatives to the 2018 China International Import Expo (CIIE) held in Shanghai from Nov 5 to 10, learning about industry dynamics and looking for business opportunities.

"We gained a better understanding of the advanced techniques and concepts of Toyota and other overseas peers," Tang Xiaodong, general manager of bus manufacturer Higer Bus, said after his visit to the expo.

"The event offered us a good chance to tighten our ties with overseas auto part suppliers," said Feng Lu, overseas brand promotion manager from the company.

Worldhotel Grand Dushulake Suzhou, a member of Jinji Lake Hotel Group in SIP, revealed that they found several excellent overseas suppliers of coffee and seafood products and have gone into further negotiations for cooperation in the future.

"They offer high-quality products that are not easy to acquire through domestic channels," said Xu Meihe, director of marketing and communications at the hotel.