By Si Zhanwei

On 30th May, a Dragon Boat Invitational was held at Shanghai Shibei High-Tech (Nantong) Science and Technology City. Four dragon boat teams from Australia, Malaysia and Nantong competed on Baoyue Lake.

In August 2010, governments of Shanghai Jing’an District and Nantong worked together to build the Shibei Science and Technology City. Among the more than 300 science and technology-based enterprises here, 40% are from Shanghai. During the breaks in competition training, the Shibei Science and Technology City invited senior executives from foreign companies in Shanghai to visit the park, visit the companies and carry out exchanges.

Gao Jian, who is in charge of investment service of the Shibei Science and Technology City, introduced that it was the second batch of ‘international participants’ arrived in May. Before that, the ‘Hebilu’ dragon boat team formed by the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg carried out pre-race training at Baoyue Lake, preparing for the 2025 Yangtze River Delta Hao River Dragon Boat Invitational. In their spare time, they also walked along the water system, observing and learning about the industrial layout of Shibei Science and Technology City in the fields of integrated circuits, life sciences and health, and automotive electronics, etc. The international dragon boat team members have spoken highly of Shibei Science and Technology City’s positioning as an integrated industrial-urban hub and ecological community.

‘It’s my first time to come here. It’s very beautiful. The business, industry and environment are all very good. I will definitely come to Nantong again.’ Jonathan Xu, the leader of ‘Hebilu’ dragon boat team, had a very good impression on the Shibei Science and Technology city because of the several days’ stay for training, especially the well-equipped water sports base facilities, which he praised a lot.

Gao Jian introduced that based on the 5-km-long high-quality ecological coastline of Baoyue Lake, the Shibei Science and Technology City invested to build an intelligent sports base integrating multiple water sports including rowing, dragon boat, canoeing, and paddle boarding. In the start of 2025, Baoyue Lake water sports base opened. The municipal rowing association was also founded at the same time. Up to now, it has received more than 40 enterprises from places including Shanghai and Nantong to carry out team-building activities. ‘Every competition and team-building event is a vivid display of the image of the Shibei Science and Technology City. Water sports experience is becoming our ‘characteristic business card’ for attracting investment.

Relying on the professional training facilities and specialized operation and management team of the Baoyue Lake Water Sports Base, Shibei Science and Technology City is actively developing a favorable business environment that integrates ‘water sports + business networking + eco-friendly office spaces.’ Senior executives of enterprises can experience the new business mode of ‘paddle negotiation’ in the beautiful scenery of the lake, and achieve an organic integration of work and life.

Members of the dragon boat team visited Shibei Science and Technology City.

The dragon boat team carried out training at Baoyue Lake.