Wuxi and Sweden have had commercial relations since a long time back. Astra set up a joint-venture in the eighties for a pharmaceutical industry in Wuxi. Ever since that, the number of Swedish companies who choose to set up business in Wuxi has grown steadily.

The city of Wuxi now plans for a completely new city, the Taihu New City, on the shore of the Taihu Lake. The Swedish Consulate General and the Sino-Swedish Environmental Technology Cooperation cooperate with Wuxi in discussing environmental criteria and introducing companies and technologies that may be applied in the new city. In July 2010 a ground-breaking ceremony was held for the construction works to begin in the Sino-Swedish low-carbon eco-city.

The Swedish company Tengbom Architects has contributed with a plan and with conceptual technical solutions for a 2,4 km2 Sino-Swedish Eco-City close to the new central business district.

Cooperation continues during the second half of 2010, and many Swedish companies have declared their interest to be part of the exciting new city project.