A delegation led by Zhang Jianhua, Party secretary of Rugao, Nantong in East China's Jiangsu province, paid a visit to Zhangjiagang, Suzhou, May 18, and signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement with the city, aiming to promote cross-regional cooperation in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region.

Zhangjiagang and Rugao stand opposite each other across the Yangtze River, and are very close in terms of location, ancestral ties and cultural background, and therefore share the same development history and opportunities, according to Pan Guoqqiang, Party secretary of Zhangjiagang.

Pan said the integrated regional development of the YRD is one of the key national strategies, and the two cities should make great contributions to accelerating the integration of Suzhou and Nantong.

Zhangjiagang will beef up its efforts to deepen cooperation and exchanges with Rugao, with the aim of promoting coordinated regional development, according to Pan.

Zhang said that Zhangjiagang has always stood at the forefront of economic and social development among China's county-level cities, and this is seen as a development model for Rugao.

Zhang also expressed his hopes that the two cities should carry out all-round cooperation, push forward coordinated development of industries in the two cities, and carry out joint construction of industrial parks to enable the two areas to complement each other with their respective strengths, and pursue mutual benefits and win-win outcomes.