On the morning of May 16, the groundbreaking ceremony for the 30 key projects of Luzhi Town for 2012 was solemnly held at the new site of Luzhi Middle School’s senior high school. More than 400 people attended the event, including the principal leaders of the four leading bodies of Wuzhong District, the responsible officials from each town (district) and subdistrict, the top leaders of district-level departments, offices, bureaus, mass organizations, district‑affiliated enterprises, and directly affiliated public institutions, as well as the leadership of Luzhi Town’s four leading bodies, the management of the agricultural demonstration park, section chiefs and deputy section chiefs, members of the grassroots liaison teams, secretaries of villages (communities), government assistants, heads of municipal and town‑level units, heads of town‑owned enterprises, representatives of project developers and construction workers, business guests from various sectors, and representatives from more than ten media outlets.

At the launch ceremony, Lu Zhenhua, Secretary of the Luzhi Town Party Committee, and a representative of the project developers each delivered remarks. Jin Jie, District Mayor of Wuzhong District, delivered an important address, praising the simultaneous commencement of 30 key projects in Luzhi Town as a pragmatic initiative that demonstrates the town’s spirit of determination, its resolve to overcome challenges, and its commitment to advancing its standing—addressing, prioritizing, and improving people’s livelihoods through concrete actions. She further noted that this effort is a true reflection of Luzhi Town’s proactive pursuit, strategic planning, and vigorous drive for development. In her speech, Mayor Jin called on all functional departments across the district to adopt a strategic perspective aligned with the overall development agenda, providing proactive, anticipatory, and comprehensive services; doing everything possible to help enterprises resolve their difficulties; wholeheartedly supporting project construction; and ensuring the effective implementation of all tasks. She emphasized the need to turn these projects into initiatives that unite the people, serve the public good, and fuel accelerated development. At the same time, she expressed the hope that, following the groundbreaking ceremony, Luzhi Town will accelerate project progress, uphold high standards of quality, meticulously craft exemplary projects, create urban landmarks, and position itself as a guiding force for Luzhi’s transformation and a driving engine for the district’s broader development.

It is reported that the 30 key projects include six initiatives to improve people’s livelihoods, five collective‑economy projects, two tourism‑enhancement projects, four transportation‑construction projects, ten domestic and foreign‑invested projects, and three environmental‑improvement projects. As a powerful vehicle for Luzhi Town to accelerate its transformation and upgrading, kickstart its “second entrepreneurial phase,” and reestablish itself as the “Eastern Bridgehead of Wuzhong,” the simultaneous commencement of these 30 priority projects is set to usher in a new wave of large‑scale construction and robust development in Luzhi.

In recent years, Luzhi Town has fully leveraged its locational, transportation, resource, cultural, infrastructural, and industrial advantages. Guided by a new round of urban and industrial planning, it has comprehensively implemented the “New City, New Industry, New Luzhi” development strategy. While preserving and protecting the distinctive water-town charm of the Jiangnan region, the town has vigorously promoted effective industrial investment and project advancement, achieving substantial economic and social progress. The town has gradually established an industrial structure dominated by electronics, machinery, building materials, and mold manufacturing. At the same time, basic infrastructure and supporting facilities in both urban and rural areas have been steadily improved, the living and ecological environment has continued to enhance, social harmony and stability have been maintained, and residents enjoy a peaceful and prosperous life. Currently, the town is advancing four key initiatives: accelerating the development of the collective economy to drive industrial transformation and upgrading; speeding up the development and construction of key areas and nodes to shape a modern urban image; fostering the integrated development of culture, tourism, and commerce to build the Luzhi brand; and innovating social governance to comprehensively improve people’s well-being. These efforts are being directed toward the full-scale development of five major zones: the ancient town tourism area, the commercial and service district, the livable new town area, the high-end industrial zone, and the Suzhou Chenghu Modern Science and Technology Ecological Agriculture Demonstration Park.

The ancient town tourism zone is focusing on building the Luzhi Water Town brand, amplifying the appeal of two national‑level cultural treasures—the Luohan statues at Baosheng Temple and the traditional costumes of water‑town women—while integrating and leveraging local resources and uncovering deeper cultural meanings. Through the development of new tourism‑related facilities such as the Luzhi Visitor Service Center, the Baosheng Community Service Center, Qingfeng Luzhi: Recalling Jiangnan, and the Zhang Sheng Art Museum, along with projects like the renovation and upgrading of the Dongshi, Shangtang, and Xiatang historic streets, the zone aims to achieve integrated, distinctive development between the cultural and tourism industries.

The commercial and service‑oriented development zone is aligned with Luzhi’s vast consumer market, implementing a “phase‑out of secondary‑industry, phase‑in of tertiary‑industry” strategy and an “upgrade of tertiary‑industry” approach to transform underutilized industrial and commercial spaces in the town’s suburban areas. This will foster the clustered growth of modern commerce, cultural creativity, leisure and entertainment, real estate, and other tertiary‑sector services. With the entry and operation of Phase I and Phase II of the Zhongzhu Jewelry Industrial Park, the Runfu Commercial Plaza, RT‑Mart, and other large‑scale commercial complexes, Fucheng North Road in Luzhi is poised to evolve into a commercial hub featuring a contemporary urban form and diverse business mix.

The new, livable town district is striving to become a haven of urban living, seamlessly integrating residential and service functions, with comprehensive surrounding amenities, convenient and comfortable daily life, and a beautifully landscaped environment. In the first phase, two high-rise farmer‑housing complexes, each spanning 100,000 square meters, have been launched in Fucheng and Taobang. Efforts are underway to accelerate the improvement of urban infrastructure and public services, including education, healthcare, cultural and recreational facilities, and public spaces. The Xinluzhi Hospital and the Luxiangwan Farmers’ Market are already in operation, while construction is set to begin on the Lüzhizhong School’s senior high school, the Second Kindergarten, and the expansion of Lüzhizhong No. 3 Primary School. Meanwhile, plans for the Qingjiang Urban Leisure Plaza and a 1‑square‑kilometer urban public green space are being expedited, and the Heshing Road connectivity project is being fast‑tracked.

In the high-end industrial zone, a 1-square-kilometer Lusheng Automotive Market and its supporting commercial facilities are being developed along Airport Road, while real estate projects are being advanced along the Wusong River. At the Linggang Road–Oriental Avenue intersection, an equipment‑manufacturing and precision‑mold industrial park spanning nearly 100,000 square meters is under construction. Meanwhile, at the Changhong North Road–Oriental Avenue junction, the construction of high‑rise buildings—including the Luzhi Science and Technology Park, the Huisi headquarters, and the Public Security Emergency Response Center—is being accelerated. In the Banqiao area, efforts are underway to establish Suzhou’s specialized trading market for renewable resources.

The Suzhou Chenghu Modern Science and Technology Ecological Agriculture Demonstration Park leverages the scenic beauty of the ten-thousand-mu Chenghu Lake and its unique aquatic vegetable resources to vigorously develop modern agriculture, eco‑tourism, and a “slow‑living” leisure zone featuring a wetland park, striving to become Suzhou’s green “backyard.” Currently, conceptual planning is underway for a 20-square-kilometer area encompassing ecological wetlands, modern agriculture, and ecological woodlands. Construction has begun on a 2,500‑mu ecological forest along the northern shore of Chenghu Lake and a 2,500‑mu wetland park on the western bank. Additionally, the western extension of Hubin Road has been launched to connect with the core zone of a 3,500‑mu aquatic vegetable base, while a ring‑shaped transportation network is being developed. The aquatic vegetable base is accelerating contract‑based planting, laying the groundwork and creating an enabling environment for Chenghu Lake to evolve into a modern agricultural hub, an ecological wetland park, and a lakeside destination for business, tourism, and leisure.

Taking this groundbreaking ceremony as a starting point, Luzhi Town will actively implement its new round of urban and industrial planning, accelerate its “second entrepreneurial journey” and transformation and upgrading, and spare no effort to promote the rapid and sound development of all economic and social undertakings, ensuring an even brighter future for Luzhi.