This Week in WND (2026/05/17-2026/05/23)

Leading experts and scholars attended the 2026 Academic Committee Meeting of AI Laboratories under China's Ministry of Science and Technology and Ministry of Education in Wuxi from May 16 to 17. The event ran alongside the joint leadership meeting of the Chinese Association of Automation and the Chinese Association for Artificial Intelligence's Pattern Recognition Committee. Additionally, joint efforts for the new Josef Kittler AI Research Institute were launched.

An agreement for the Wuxi Suihong Huachuang Token Factory was signed on May 15. This project will convert green computing power from Western China into standardized AI resources for industries and overseas markets. Additionally, a Huawei Ascend 384 super node cluster will be deployed by Honflex in the WND. It is the first of its kind in Jiangsu and is expected to become the largest in East China.

WND and Jiangnan University held their 2026 coordination meeting on May 21 to launch new research partnerships. The event also featured the signing of investment projects under a commercialization fund, the debut of a technology service station, and the rollout of an innovation platform. Furthermore, cooperation officially began between nine local industrial parks and nine schools of the university.

The Hongshan Warm Village Digital Nomad Community opened on May 17, coinciding with the 2026 China Tourism Day event. Launched as an OPC community in the WND, this new destination beautifully blends the efficiency of the digital era with the poetic, everyday charm of Jiangnan rural life.

WND held a meeting on May 16 to roll out its annual fire safety campaign. This marks the fourth consecutive year that the district has launched a renewed push on fire safety work, following a series of targeted initiatives over the past three years.

The Second Congress of the Xinwu District Federation of Literary and Art Circles was held on May 16. Seven professional associations for writing, calligraphy, fine arts, photography, music and dance, folk arts, and drama and quyi have been established since the first congress. Consequently, cultural development in the district has achieved significant progress.

WND held its rural work and agricultural technology conference on May 21. The meeting reviewed progress in work related to agriculture, rural areas, and farmers, assessed current conditions, and laid out key priorities for 2026. The district called for stronger efforts to improve the overall quality and efficiency of rural development.

A symposium on computing power infrastructure and industry development was held in WND on May 20. The meeting reviewed the district's progress, identified existing challenges, and set priorities for the next stage. Discussions focused on strengthening the computing power ecosystem to support high-quality industrial development.

A delegation from Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, led by senior vice-president and CTO Shen Yuan, attended the signing ceremony for an intelligent new energy vehicle testing pilot base in WND on May 18. This pilot base, with a total investment of nearly 200 million yuan ($29.43 million), is jointly established by the Geely Innovation Center and IAE. It aims to build a smart driving safety testing system, which is expected to fill a gap in domestic testing capabilities for complex and extreme scenarios.

A delegation from Yichuan county in Yan'an, Shaanxi province visited WND for an exchange from May 19 to 20. On May 20, the first meeting between the two sides in 2026 was held, along with a signing ceremony for a series of cooperation projects. The agreements, involving government departments and enterprises from both regions, cover culture, tourism, agriculture, rural development, and industrial park management.

In April alone, WND had signed seven projects with a total investment of about 4.95 billion yuan, bringing the cumulative total from January to April to 55 projects worth 82.28 billion yuan. In May, the district maintained its momentum with breakthroughs, including the groundbreaking of China's first computing power equipment industrial park and the signing of multiple projects at the Taihu Bay Future Healthcare Conference. Together, these developments highlight the district's efficiency in attracting investment to build industrial strength.

An AI-powered short drama produced by a company based in the WND, titled Guardians of the Pulse: Don't Touch My Chinese Mythical Beasts, has been featured on Taobao's short drama channel and secured a top recommendation spot. Since its launch, the series has continued to surge in popularity, marking another standout achievement for Wuxi's AI-driven digital content industry.

What happens when AI meets culture and tourism? In WND, representatives from cultural venues and tourist attractions joined AI innovators and investors to explore new possibilities — from bringing history to life to creating fresh experiences through AI-powered content and digital storytelling.

The WND Technology-Assisted Disability Support Incubation Hub recently began operations at the Minsheng Mansion. On the same day, a dedicated job fair for people with disabilities was also launched at the WND venue. This launch signifies that a comprehensive service system has officially rolled out to provide full-cycle, one-stop, and technology-driven support for disabled individuals of all age groups.

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology recently released its 2025 list of blockchain and industrial internet integration cases. Two enterprises from Wuxi were selected, both located in the WND. The chosen projects are a smart manufacturing platform for control valves based on data-chain connectivity developed by Score Automatic Control Equipment, and a smart energy management application based on industrial internet technology developed by Smart Energy Technology.

Jiangsu's cyberspace authority released a new list of registered generative AI services on May 21. WND added one new large model filing in this round, as the SeekWise large model developed by Wuxi Digital City Construction and Development was the only model in Wuxi to be registered this time. So far, the district has accumulated two registered generative AI large models and 19 algorithms approved under the national deep synthesis algorithm filing system, ranking first in the city in both categories.

Jiangsu province recently hosted a roadshow event on "AI + Manufacturing", where Lead Digital, a company from WND, stood out as the only AI service provider in attendance. Its AI Multi-Agent Factory solution became a major highlight of the entire event.

Wuxi Medical and Health Group, Wuxi Hi-Tech District Commercial & Culture Tourism Group, and SK Hynix signed a memorandum of understanding on May 15. The three will jointly advance an equity cooperation project for the Wuxi SK Hynix International Hospital.

To celebrate the China Tourism Day, WND has rolled out ticket discounts at attractions including the Qian Mu & Qian Weichang Former Residence, Taibo Scenic Area, China View Stone Park and Meili Ancient Town. Discover culture, history and fresh experiences on a journey full of new surprises!

The Jiangsu stop of Let's Dance, a massive square dance program produced by China Media Group, lit up the south square of the Wuxi Symphony Hall on the evening of May 15. Players from the Wuxi team in the Jiangsu Football City League also joined the stage to interact with the audience. The event successfully blended the competitive spirit of sports with mass fitness activities, turning the venue into a vibrant celebration.