Nantong, referred to as "Tong" for short, was called Tongzhou in ancient times, also known as Jinghai, Chongzhou, Chongchuan and Zilang. It is a prefecture-level city under the jurisdiction of Jiangsu Province, one of the 27 cities in the central area of the Yangtze River Delta, the economic center of the northern wing of the Yangtze River Delta in China and a modern port city approved by the State Council.