The Hangzhou Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone (HHTZ) has been ranked 3rd among the 157 State-level high-tech zones by the Torch High Technology Industry Development Center, Ministry of Science and Technology, local media reported on Dec 5.

Measured based on four first-level categories, including technological innovation, industrial upgrading, international competitiveness and sustainable development along with 40 second-levels, this marks the second time for HHTZ to become among the top three of the list.

Closely following Beijing Zhongguancun which is dubbed as "China Silicon Valley”and Shenzhen Hi-Tech Industrial Park, the 92-square-kilometer HHTZ stood out for its optimized talent structure, enterprises R&D, market activities and energy conservation.

Compared with two years ago when HHTZ made it to the top three for the first time, HHTZ has made great strides in four first-level indicators, especially sustainable development which ranks second place this year, according to a local official.

With innovation as the driving force for HHTZ growth, the zone places a great emphasis on attracting talents. With a long-term and friendly cooperative relationship with higher educational institutions and scientific research institutes, HHTZ has introduced a total of 29,000 talents in 2018, including 1,200 overseas high-caliber innovative and entrepreneurial ones.

Meanwhile, the zone is also a hotbed of business startups, with the headquarters of China's e-commerce giant Alibaba Group, Hikvision and New H3C Group all located there.

In the first half of 2018, HHTZ's GDP reached 56 billion yuan ($8.14 billion), a year-on-year increase of 11.8 percent.

Founded in March 1990, HHTZ was ratified as a State-level hi-tech zone by the State Council in March 1991 and has become one of the most influential hi-tech innovation and hi-tech industry bases in Zhejiang province.