What the 24 Measures Actually Say
Jiangsu released a set of 24 measures across six areas under the title “Several Measures for Stabilizing and Upgrading the Use of Foreign Investment in Jiangsu Province.” The policy targets foreign-funded enterprises, multinational companies, and foreign-funded R&D centers. The source does not give an effective date, and it does not list the application conditions or required documents for each measure.
What it does show is a change in how the policy was written. For the first time, 12 foreign company representatives joined the drafting group. Most of the issues came from government-company roundtables and project teams, so the policy moved from what the source calls “government serving dishes” to “companies ordering dishes.” For HR teams, that matters because the measures are meant to answer specific questions that foreign employers have raised, not to introduce a broad new legal framework.
The source also notes that the measures cover six areas, but it does not break them down one by one. Treat the list as a signal of direction rather than a checklist you can act on without local confirmation.
The Numbers Behind the Policy
Jiangsu is not a small market for foreign employers. The figures below show why the province is paying attention to retention and upgrading, not just new investment.
| Indicator | Figure |
|---|---|
| Foreign investment by industry coverage | 19 industry categories, 92 industry sub-categories |
| Total foreign investment in Jiangsu | Nearly 540 billion US dollars |
| Foreign-funded companies in Jiangsu | 43 thousand |
| Share of all companies in the province | Nearly 1% |
| Share of imports and exports | About 50% |
| Share of comprehensive tax revenue | 20% |
These numbers explain the policy logic. A small share of firms produces a large share of trade and tax, so the province has a strong reason to keep those firms and to help them move up the value chain.
From Manufacturing Base to R&D Hub
The source describes a clear shift in what foreign companies do in Jiangsu. In the past, many came for production capacity and orders. Now, more come for research, development, and decision-making. One multinational executive is quoted as saying that companies used to come to China to look at capacity, and today they come to look at the future.
Suzhou shows how this looks on the ground. The city hosts 570 projects from 192 overseas Fortune Global 500 companies. 80% of foreign-funded enterprises in Suzhou have set up R&D centers, and some of those centers are the company’s only overseas R&D site. This year, 14 Suzhou projects were approved as key foreign investment projects by the Ministry of Commerce, accounting for 60% of the province’s new total. Suzhou’s actual use of foreign investment ranks fourth among China’s key cities.
Across the province, Jiangsu has 531 provincial-level foreign-funded R&D centers, and that number is expected to reach about 580 by the end of the year. 111 foreign-funded R&D centers enjoy tax exemption and refund policies, the most in any province in China.
City-level policies add to this. Suzhou’s open economy action plan sets 17 development goals across trade, foreign investment, outbound investment, carriers, and the business environment. Nanjing’s new industrial policy implements the “zero restriction” on foreign investment in manufacturing and supports the setup of wholly foreign-owned hospitals and joint ventures with overseas telecom operators.
What This Means for HR Teams
For HR, the practical effect is a change in the mix of roles you may need to fill and support in Jiangsu.
More R&D and engineering roles. As more foreign companies set up R&D centers, demand grows for researchers, engineers, lab staff, and product teams. These roles often need a mix of local hires and foreign specialists.
More foreign staff on long-term assignments. When a site becomes a regional innovation hub, expatriate staff tend to stay longer. That means more attention to work-permit renewals, dependent visas, housing, and social insurance enrollment.
More local hiring pressure. R&D centers compete for the same local talent. HR teams should expect to explain total compensation, career paths, and long-term plans more clearly.
More policy contact points. The measures were drafted with company input, so local commerce bureaus and project teams are likely to be the first place to ask about eligibility and support.
One more point: the source does not list any new visa or work-permit rules. The 24 measures are about investment and the business environment, not immigration procedure. Existing work-permit and visa steps still apply, and the rules can differ by city. If you are bringing staff in, start with the correct visa category and confirm the current document list with your local exit-entry bureau. For a short business visit or a first scouting trip, check the China M visa before you book travel.
Supply Chain Speed and the Talent Map
The source also points to a practical advantage that affects where companies place teams. In the Yangtze River Delta, an electric vehicle maker can source the parts it needs within a four-hour drive, forming a “four-hour industrial circle.” From Wuxi’s automotive-grade chips to Suzhou’s high-strength steel, the distance is 120 to 180 kilometers, and full-category delivery to the production line can be completed in two hours. About 50% of supporting resources are within reach.
For HR, this matters because it shapes where engineers, quality staff, and supply-chain managers are based. A company may put its R&D center in one city and its production in another, with staff moving between them. That affects commuting, relocation support, and how you structure expatriate packages.
The source also notes that Jiangsu has 130 million kilowatts of new energy capacity, 70 million kilowatts of distributed solar, the second-highest computing power index in China, and a token voucher subsidy of up to 5 million yuan per company. These are business incentives, not immigration rules, but they can affect which sites grow and therefore where you hire.
Company Cases Show the Direction
The source gives several examples of foreign companies deepening their presence in Jiangsu.
| Company | Move |
|---|---|
| AstraZeneca | Plans to invest more than 100 billion yuan in China by 2030; a 200 million yuan upgrade project started at its Wuxi base |
| Roche | Invested 4 billion yuan over more than a decade in an Asia-Pacific base and R&D center in Jiangsu, then added 3 billion yuan in 2024 |
| Boston Scientific | Added 235 million US dollars to its Suzhou investment, moving from local distribution to global distribution and joint R&D |
| Philips | Its Suzhou base now serves as a strategic anchor for China, a global supply chain hub, and a global innovation engine |
Deloitte China’s board chairman is quoted as saying that foreign investment has moved past the single production-and-sales base model and into a phase of deep local operation and global enablement. The source cites survey data showing that nearly 60% of US companies plan to increase investment in China, more than 90% of German companies do not intend to withdraw and more than half plan to add investment, and 75% of European companies believe production efficiency in China is higher than elsewhere.
For HR teams, these cases are a reminder that expansion often brings new senior roles, technical experts, and cross-border project teams. Each of those can trigger a work-permit or visa step.
What to Check Before You Plan
The source leaves several points open. The effective date of the 24 measures is not stated. The application conditions and required materials are not listed. The eligibility and deadlines for subsidies, including the token voucher, are not explained. Before you build a budget or a hiring plan around any of these, confirm the details with the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Commerce or your local commerce bureau.
For immigration steps, the M visa guide covers the short-term business route, and our China work permit page covers an actual local hire. On the investment side, the WFOE vs JV vs RO comparison explains which structure a new project needs; company registration and social insurance enrolment are separate steps with their own local requirements. Executives who travel repeatedly may find the APEC Business Travel Card removes the visa cycle altogether. If you need the current document list checked, OTGEO can confirm it.