Aerial view of the Yellow Crane Tower.

A cross-border e-commerce China-Europe freight train (Wuhan) is about to depart for Małaszewicze, Poland.

The “Huahang Hanya 5” ship docked at Yangluo Port.

On August 5, the CCID Consulting Urban Economic Research Center released the “2025 China Urban District High-Quality Development Research Report” (hereinafter referred to as the “Report”), along with the 2025 National Top 100 Districts ranking. Wuhan had eight districts on the list, ranking first in central China and second nationwide.

The eight districts are Wuchang District (40th), Hannan District (61st), Jianghan District (68th), Dongxihu District (71st), Jiang’an District (77th), Hongshan District (79th), Jiangxia District (81st), and Huangpi District (90th). Nationally, the top five cities with the most districts on the list are Chengdu (9), Wuhan (8), Guangzhou (7), Shenzhen (6), and Hangzhou (6). Yiling District (92nd) and Xiling District (94th) of Yichang City in Hubei also made the list.

Hubei’s 10 districts maintained their positions from last year, with six districts improving their rankings. Wuchang District rose from 41st to 40th, Hannan District from 70th to 61st, Jiang’an District from 79th to 77th, Huangpi District from 92nd to 90th, Yiling District from 96th to 92nd, and Xiling District from 98th to 94th.

The “Report” highlighted Wuchang District as a case study, analyzing new trends in top districts during the “15th Five-Year Plan” period: service-oriented manufacturing and industrial internet platforms will deeply empower district enterprises, driving development from scale expansion to high-value chain refinement.

Wuchang District leverages the Huawei (Wuhan) AI Innovation Center to provide SMEs with full-process services (diagnosis-renovation-acceptance), acting as a “smart engine” for reshaping industrial value chains. Additionally, the district promotes market-oriented data utilization, launching China’s first housing management data product, “Shouyi Smart Housing Insights,” on Hubei’s data trading platform to optimize services like elderly care and food delivery. Wuchang has also established a unified district data pool, opening 270 public data resources to support applications in smart security and education, expanding the data industry market.

CCID Consulting, under the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, is a leading economic research institution. The Top 100 Districts evaluation maintained dual thresholds (GDP > ¥80 billion, general public budget revenue > ¥2 billion), assessing five indicators: economic strength, growth momentum, endogenous support, regional influence, and shared development.

The top ten districts were Nanshan District (Shenzhen), Futian District (Shenzhen), Tianhe District (Guangzhou), Bao’an District (Shenzhen), Longgang District (Shenzhen), Huangpu District (Guangzhou), Shunde District (Foshan), Wujiang District (Suzhou), Nanhai District (Foshan), and Wujin District (Changzhou).

22.3% – Wuhan’s foreign trade growth rate, ranking first among sub-provincial-level cities.

“Joining Wuhan Commerce Bureau’s ‘group出海’ delegation to Thailand’s first Agricultural Machinery Expo was highly rewarding! We secured $500,000 in意向 orders and initiated two tech collaborations with Thai agricultural firms,” said Jiang Zhiping, head of Hubei Nongke Runpu Eco-Technology Co., Ltd., upon returning from Thailand on August 5.

This was the company’s first overseas exhibition. Organized by the Wuhan Commerce Bureau, it saved nearly ¥100,000 in costs and facilitated talks with Thai authorities and companies like CP Group.

As Wuhan firms expand globally, their international presence grows. In H1 2024, Wuhan’s foreign trade reached ¥214.27 billion, up 22.3% – the fastest growth among 19 major Chinese cities.

Export structures are shifting from traditional manufacturing to high-value sectors. Strong exports of mobile phones (↑4.7%), tablets (↑46.9%), integrated circuits (↑16.1%), and display modules (↑60.4%) drove a 17% rise in optoelectronics.

Wuhan’s trade network keeps expanding. H1 saw four trade delegations visit the U.S., Germany, and the UK, while eight new overseas trade offices opened in the UAE and Indonesia.

Port and platform development accelerated. Six

Yellow Crane Tower

The Yellow Crane Tower, located in Wuhan, China, is a famous historical tower with a history dating back over 1,700 years to the Three Kingdoms period (220–280 CE). Known for its cultural significance and poetic associations, it has been destroyed and rebuilt multiple times, with the current structure dating to 1985. The tower is celebrated in Chinese literature, particularly in poems like *Yellow Crane Tower* by Cui Hao, and symbolizes prosperity and good fortune.

Huawei (Wuhan) AI Innovation Center

The **Huawei (Wuhan) AI Innovation Center** is a cutting-edge facility established by Huawei in Wuhan, China, to advance artificial intelligence research and development. Opened as part of Huawei’s broader push into AI and smart technologies, the center fosters collaboration with local industries, universities, and startups to drive innovation in areas like smart cities, healthcare, and manufacturing. It reflects Wuhan’s growing role as a tech hub and Huawei’s commitment to integrating AI into industrial and urban development.

Hubei’s data trading platform

Hubei’s data trading platform is an innovative initiative established to facilitate the secure and regulated exchange of data assets, supporting the digital economy in Hubei Province, China. Launched as part of China’s broader push for data market development, it aims to enhance data resource utilization while ensuring compliance with national data governance policies. The platform reflects Hubei’s commitment to advancing its tech-driven economic growth and aligns with national strategies like the “Digital China” initiative.

CCID Consulting

CCID Consulting is a leading Chinese consulting firm specializing in IT, telecommunications, and industrial research, established in 1986 under the China Center for Information Industry Development (CCID). It provides market analysis, strategy development, and policy advisory services, playing a key role in shaping China’s tech and industrial policies. With strong government ties, it has become a trusted advisor for both public and private sector clients in China’s rapidly evolving digital economy.

CP Group

The CP Group (Charoen Pokphand Group) is a Thai multinational conglomerate founded in 1921 by Chinese immigrants. Originally a seed trading business, it expanded into agribusiness, food production, retail, and telecommunications, becoming one of Asia’s largest corporations. Known for its role in modernizing Thailand’s agriculture and its global investments, CP Group also owns the 7-Eleven franchise in Thailand and has significant ventures in China and other markets.

Małaszewicze

Małaszewicze is a village in eastern Poland, near the border with Belarus, historically known for its strategic importance as a major railway junction. It played a significant role during World War II and the Cold War as a key transit point for goods and military transport between the Soviet Union and Europe. Today, it remains an important logistics hub, with one of the largest freight rail terminals in Poland.

Yangluo Port

Yangluo Port is a major inland river port located in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, serving as a key hub along the Yangtze River. Established in the early 2000s, it has grown into one of China’s busiest ports, facilitating trade and logistics between central China and coastal regions. The port plays a vital role in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, supporting industrial and economic development in the area.

Thailand’s first Agricultural Machinery Expo

Thailand’s first Agricultural Machinery Expo was launched to showcase modern farming technology and boost the country’s agricultural sector. The event featured innovations in machinery, tools, and techniques, aiming to improve efficiency and sustainability for Thai farmers. It also highlighted Thailand’s efforts to modernize agriculture and support rural development.