Many ordinary prefecture-level cities in the Yangtze River Delta and Pearl River Delta have established market advantages. Per capita GDP is one of the key indicators for measuring regional development levels. Excluding municipalities directly under the central government, cities specifically designated in the state plan, and provincial capitals, there are currently seven ordinary prefecture-level cities with a per capita GDP exceeding 200,000 yuan. These seven cities are Ordos, Karamay, Wuxi, Yulin, Suzhou, Changzhou, and Dongying. These cities primarily fall into two categories: one consists of major energy cities, including Ordos, Karamay, and Yulin in the western region, as well as Dongying in the eastern region, which are characterized by abundant natural resources; the other comprises major manufacturing hubs in southern Jiangsu, including Wuxi, Suzhou, and Changzhou.
The major coal city Ordos achieved a GDP of 612.22 billion yuan in 2025, representing a year-on-year increase of 5.1% after adjusting for price factors. Last year, the city's per capita GDP reached 272,704 yuan, ranking first among ordinary prefecture-level cities. In 2025, the raw coal output of industrial enterprises above a designated size in Ordos reached 890 million tons, an increase of 250 million tons compared to 2020. While coal production continues to rise, coal mining is also advancing towards higher-end and intelligent operations. The mechanized comprehensive mining rate, washing rate, and resource recovery rate have all reached nationally advanced levels. The city has established 165 intelligent coal mines, and the fatality rate per million tons of coal production has reached world-leading standards. In the first year of the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, Ordos focuses on accelerating the construction of world-class energy industries, modern coal chemical industries, new energy equipment manufacturing industries, and cashmere industries. It strives to leverage the existing capacity of traditional energy industries while enhancing the growth of modern energy sectors, thereby increasing the quality of high-quality development through industrial transformation and upgrading.
Similarly, as a major coal city, Yulin's regional GDP grew at an average annual rate of 5.8% during the "14th Five-Year Plan" period. Its economic scale successively surpassed the thresholds of 500 billion yuan, 600 billion yuan, and 700 billion yuan, ranking first among non-provincial-capital cities in central and western China. Yulin's share of the provincial GDP increased from 15.6% to 20.5%. The city's coal output exceeded 600 million tons, while natural gas production and electricity transmission increased by 18% and 138%, respectively. The total primary energy production accounted for over 10% of the national total.
The petroleum and petrochemical industry is the absolute dominant sector in Karamay. According to public reports, in recent years, Karamay has continuously enhanced its resource supply and processing capabilities, promoted the integration of traditional and new energy sources, and steadily improved the scale and quality of its oil and gas industry. The city has established a comprehensive industrial chain for oil and gas manufacturing and services, covering petroleum drilling, extraction, transportation, storage, refining, as well as equipment manufacturing and engineering technical services.
As the location of the Shengli Oilfield, Dongying's secondary industry (industry and construction) accounted for 59.0% of its GDP (compared to 35.6% nationally). Its main industries include oil and natural gas extraction, petroleum processing, manufacturing of chemical raw materials and chemical products, and non-ferrous metal smelting and processing.
An analysis suggests that these cities possess natural resource endowments. While these resources are being intensively developed, these cities need to plan ahead to achieve sustainable development.
Other ordinary prefecture-level cities with a per capita GDP exceeding 200,000 yuan are located in southern Jiangsu, including Wuxi, Suzhou, and Changzhou, which are characterized by strong manufacturing capabilities. Among them, Suzhou, often referred to as the "most outstanding prefecture-level city," achieved a GDP of 2.77 trillion yuan last year. Calculated based on its permanent population, its per capita GDP reached 213,000 yuan. In 2025, the added value of industrial enterprises above a designated size in Suzhou increased by 7.6% compared to the previous year. The total output value of industries above a designated size reached 4.9 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 3.9%. By sector, the top six leading industries achieved an output value of 3.21 trillion yuan, an increase of 4.0% year-on-year. Among them, the manufacturing of computers, communication equipment, and other electronic devices, electrical machinery and equipment, and general-purpose equipment manufacturing grew by 5.1%, 4.6%, and 4.4%, respectively.
On April 24 this year, Suzhou Lianxun Instrument Co., Ltd. was listed on the Science and Technology Innovation Board of the Shanghai Stock Exchange, while Kunshan Hongshida Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd. was listed on the Beijing Stock Exchange. So far this year, Suzhou has added six A-share listed companies domestically, bringing the total number of domestic A-share listed companies in the city to 234. In recent years, Suzhou has been at the forefront of economic transformation and upgrading among prefecture-level cities. The city's manufacturing sector is highly developed, with prominent industries such as biopharmaceuticals, integrated circuits, and artificial intelligence. During the process of manufacturing upgrading, the scale of research and development investment has been substantial.
According to the 2025 Statistical Communiqué on National Economic and Social Development of Wuxi City, the city achieved a regional GDP of 1.68 trillion yuan for the year, representing a year-on-year increase of 5.1% at constant prices. Calculated based on its permanent population, the per capita GDP reached 223,000 yuan. In Changzhou, the city's GDP reached 1.12 trillion yuan in 2025, a year-on-year increase of 5.2% at constant prices. Calculated based on its permanent population, the per capita GDP reached 207,000 yuan, an increase of 4.8%.
Analysis indicates that many ordinary prefecture-level cities in the Yangtze River Delta and Pearl River Delta have leveraged their geographical advantages, driven by export trade and the upgrading of local manufacturing, to establish market advantages. For many ordinary prefecture-level cities, it is essential to identify and capitalize on their relative advantages based on their resource endowments. In terms of spatial planning, selecting suitable locations for urbanization can lead to population concentration and higher productivity levels. In industrial development, the focus should be on advancing manufacturing and other industries where they possess inherent strengths.
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