This Week in WND (2026/09/14-2026/09/18)

AstraZeneca kicked off a major upgrade to its New Drug Development & Supply Building in WND, Wuxi, on Sept 17. The upgraded facility will support AstraZeneca's cardiovascular pipeline spanning from process development through production and commercialization. It is expected to become the company's first Asia-Pacific base capable of supporting the global launch and supply of new medicines.

Senior executives from Air Liquide China visited Wuxi on Sept 16. The company said that it will advance ongoing projects. Relying on its own technology and resources and connecting with leading local enterprises, the company will provide industrial supporting services related to industrial gases and electronic grade gases. It will also actively explore cooperation in industries such as new energy, with the aim of creating mutual benefits and expanding collaboration with Wuxi in more specialized fields.

The UNIM Innovation Headquarters Building opened in WND on Sept 16. UNIM provides one-stop low- and medium-capacity storage solutions for domestic and foreign customers. From chip design and development to delivery, it has formed a complete value chain and ecosystem and achieved mass production of multiple storage chips. The opening of the new building marks a new stage of development for this leading Chinese company in the field of storage chips.

A new alliance is taking shape in WND to strengthen Jiangsu's aerospace industry. Launched on Sept 14, the Jiangsu Aerospace Testing, Inspection and Certification Alliance will connect industry, research and certification resources, helping break down barriers and build a more coordinated industrial and supply chain network.

With the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays approaching, WND officials led separate teams on Sept 17 to carry out safety inspections of multi-tenant factory buildings, enterprises, mixed-use areas, major sports venues, gas storage and distribution stations, fireworks and firecracker sales outlets, industrial parks and other sites. They emphasized the importance of taking practical measures to ensure public safety at these sites. 

WND officials led a team to inspect efforts to tackle key flood and typhoon hazards and push forward related construction projects on Sept 16. They stressed that construction quality and safety must adhere to strict standards, that work must move faster, and that the district's flood and typhoon response capacity must see substantive, visible improvement — with underground spaces in particular needing stronger safety defenses.

Following the spirit of the State Council executive meeting and the requirements of the city's meeting on workplace safety and social stability, WND held a meeting on Sept 15 to deploy workplace safety and social stability work. The meeting called for more effective measures to safeguard safety and ensure stability so as to create a favorable environment for the 15th Five-Year Plan period to get off to a good start.

A monthly meeting on the development of artificial intelligence industry took place in WND on Sept 12. The meeting called for further industrialization and expansion of the AI industry, while coordinating investment needs and accelerating the implementation of key projects.

A conference was held to review progress, coordinate key tasks, and clarify responsibilities for the expansion of WND Free Trade Zone on Sept 12, with the aim of accelerating construction and ensuring smooth final inspection and acceptance.

Huazhu Group signed a cooperation agreement with WND on Sept 16, bringing Jiangsu's first Grand Ji Hotel to the district. Under the agreement, Huazhu will enhance operational data sharing across its local hotels and apartments while actively participating in WND’s urban renewal. By revitalizing underutilized State-owned assets, commercial buildings, industrial parks, and historic town areas, the two sides will develop flagship redevelopment projects to boost the local cultural and commercial tourism sector.

WND leaders led a targeted investment delegation to Xiamen and Shenzhen from Sept 9 to 10, to engage with prominent tech companies and organizations, including Honflex Electron. Discussions focused on key emerging technologies — such as semiconductor ecosystems, domestic AI computing infrastructure, and Micro-LED chip commercialization — aimed at advancing major projects, reinforcing the district's integrated circuit and AI industries, and driving high-quality regional growth.

A box that moves itself? Stellantis Pro One debuted its autonomous urban delivery concept vehicle Box-on-Wheels at IAA Transportation 2026 in Hannover, Germany on Sept 14. Wuxi-based UQI powers the vehicle's vision, decision-making and obstacle-avoidance, while Stellantis handles real-world deployment and supporting ecosystem.

WND launched its 2026 National Cybersecurity Week on Sept 15 at Wuxi National Software Park and debuted its first AI comic drama on cyberspace security. Throughout the week, a diverse range of cybersecurity-themed activities will be held to bring cybersecurity awareness to the public.

The 2026 China Sci-Tech Future Star Enterprise Research Report was released at the 2026 Jiangsu Industry-University-Research Cooperation Matchmaking Conference on Sept 11. The report selected 97 “Sci-Tech Future Stars” from 22 cities in 13 provinces, including three WND companies: Uninova, Wuxi Tianrong New Energy Technology, and Hetang Bioengineering (Wuxi).

According to the Department of Human Resources and Social Security of Jiangsu Province, 14 units in WND have been approved to establish postdoctoral research workstations, accounting for nearly half of Wuxi’s total. The figure is a record high for the district and marks a new breakthrough in the development of its postdoctoral research platform.

A cultural transportation card inspired by the Yufeifeng‌ (Jade Flying Phoenix) is now available for presale, jointly launched by Taihu Transportation Card and the Wuxi Hongshan Site Museum. The collaboration combines cultural heritage with urban transportation, bringing elements of Jiangnan culture into daily commutes, city walks, and travel.

Autumn romance begins with golden rain tree blossoms. The Xinguang Road overpass in Wangzhuang Subdistrict, WND, has become a popular photo spot as the trees burst into color. Golden petals, gentle autumn breezes, and picturesque views make every snapshot a healing autumn masterpiece.