Zhangjiagang, a city in East China’s Jiangsu province, signed 24 project deals at a promotional conference held in Shenzhen, South China’s Guangdong province, on Dec 3.

The projects involved industrial cooperation, scientific and technological research, attracting skilled workers, and the establishment of an industrial platform. The projects have received a combined total of 17.01 billion yuan ($2.41) in investment.

One of the projects, agreed between the Zhangjiagang government and Huawei Technologies Co, will be the construction of a smart city application innovation center in Zhangjiagang.

The center will make use of Huawei’s advanced technology and Zhangjiagang’s experience in smart city development to explore innovative applications for cloud computing, internet of things, big data, and 5G, aiming to help Zhangjiagang become a national model for smart city development.

During the conference, Shen Guofang, Party secretary of Zhangjiagang, briefed attendees on Zhangjiagang’s main strengths.

The city boasts a favorable business environment and has been named the Happiest City in China and the Best Commercial City in the Chinese Mainland, said Shen.

He encouraged more Shenzhen businesspeople to visit Zhangjiagang and engage in business there. He promised that the local government would continue to improve its business environment and provide better services for entrepreneurs.