The development zones in east China's Jiangsu Province, one of the country's economic powerhouses, have become new growth areas for the local economy.

Official statistics show that the 80 state and provincial development zones, established since 1985, have had a combined total of 33,452 enterprises, including 5,775 overseas-funded businesses, with combined contractual overseas investment of 32.56 billion US dollars.

These development zones reported 215.7 billion yuan in business revenues in 1998.

Of the overseas investors, 114 are among the world's top 500 companies.

Local analysts attribute this growth mainly to an improved business environment in the zones.

Over the past 14 years, the province has used more than 37 billion yuan in energy, transport, telecommunications, and other infrastructure facilities, including the Shanghai-Nanjing Expressway, a bridge across the Yangtze River in the city of Jiangyin, and an international airport.