As you wander through Zhengzhou, you sense the powerful momentum of its shift from old to new growth drivers. From general‑aviation airports to innovation‑and‑entrepreneurship parks, new technologies and new consumption flourish side by side, while tangible strengths go hand in hand with an enabling business environment. A vivid picture is unfolding: industry and cities develop in tandem, ancient heritage merges with modern progress, smart governance energizes urban management, and development delivers benefits to all people.
Technology-driven manufacturing transformation is a key lever in growing the city's economy. The Zhi Ma Jie 1958 Innovation & Entrepreneurship Park integrates the renovation of legacy factory sites with sci-tech innovation carriers. Guided by its "MIX+PARK" design concept, it has become a boundary-free hub blending innovation, industry and daily living.
As a prime example of new quality productive forces, the low-altitude economy has become Shangjie District's signature growth sector. This March, Changying-8, the world's largest cargo drone, completed its maiden flight at Shangjie Airport. In June, the DJI M400, a drone powered by a hydrogen fuel cell, conducted its first public flight test in Henan. Leading-edge aircraft makers have chosen this site for real-world testing, a testament to the area's robust industrial capacity.
The Zhengzhou National General-Aviation Industry Comprehensive Demonstration Zone has passed one milestone after another. Domestic general-aviation leader China Flying Dragon has set up operations here, operating a fleet of more than 100 aircraft. The medevac variant of the C909 has entered service, a major advance in aeromedical rescue. So far, 59 low-altitude-economy enterprises have clustered in the zone, with a combined fleet of 176 aircraft. Annual general-aviation flight hours stand at around 5,000, while drone operations exceed 150,000 hours each year.
The booming digital economy and platform-driven industries are driving urban development. Jointly set up by the Zhengzhou Zhongke Institute of Emerging Industrial Technology (Jinshui District) and Henan University, the Longzihu New Energy Laboratory has secured approval for 27 provincial and municipal R&D platforms. It keeps advancing breakthroughs across new energy, advanced materials, green technologies and healthcare.
Small-and-micro enterprise parks serve as innovation incubators and launch pads for new quality productive forces. Targeting core sectors such as modern food, equipment manufacturing and biomedicine, Tianhe Sci-Tech Innovation Park in Huiji District focuses on high-end manufacturing and biotech. It has attracted high-calibre players: listed firms, small but fast growing "gazelle" companies, national SMEs that are specialised, refined, distinctive and innovative (known officially as "little giants"), and high-tech enterprises.
Former industrial rust-belts are transforming into high-tech green innovation zones. Local industry is shifting from traditional manufacturing to smart manufacturing. Guided by scientific and technological innovation, Zhengzhou is fostering industrial renewal, leveraging digital tools to revitalize traditional sectors, and building a solid foundation for high-quality development.
