Press Release for Media Briefing of the Shanghai Municipal Government on March 19, 2021

The Information Office of Shanghai Municipality held a municipal government press conference today (March 19). Tang Zhiping, Vice Mayor of Shanghai, and deputy head of the city’s promotion and coordination leading group for planning and construction of new towns, introduced the formulation and execution of the “Implementation Opinions on Accelerating the Planning and Construction of New Towns During the 14th Five-Year Plan Period in the City” (hereinafter referred to as the “Implementation Opinions”). Ruan Qing, deputy director of the Shanghai Municipal Development and Reform Commission, Xu Jian, deputy director of the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Planning and Natural Resources, Zhu Jianhao, deputy director of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, Liu Ping, chief engineer of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization, and Li Junhao, chief engineer of the Shanghai Municipal Transportation Commission attended the press conference and answered questions from reporters.

The 10th plenary session of the 11th Shanghai Committee of the Communist Party of China clearly put forward a new pattern of urban spatial development that focuses on “leveraging the influence of the downtown area, fostering fast growth of two wings, bolstering the emergence of new towns, and facilitating transformation in north and south regions.” Among them, the five new towns play a key role. Advancing the construction of the five new towns is the only way for Shanghai to adapt to and build a new development pattern, and it’s also an important initiative to better respond to the national strategy of integrated development in the Yangtze River Delta, and a major strategic choice for the future of Shanghai.

In order to implement the major decision of developing the new towns, the Shanghai Municipal Government set up a promotion and coordination leading group for planning and construction of new towns, headed by Mayor Gong Zheng, and clarified the “1+6+5” overall policy framework for the promotion of new town planning and construction. “1” means that the “Implementation Opinions” drafted under the leadership of Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Planning and Natural Resources and the Shanghai Municipal Development and Reform Commission; “6” means that special work documents in six key areas drafted by relevant municipal departments on policies, comprehensive transportation, industrial development, space quality, public services, environmental quality/new infrastructure; “5” means that the action plans on planning and construction of five new towns in the 14th Five-Year Plan period drafted by district governments and management committees of each new town.

On February 23, the Shanghai Municipal Government officially released the “Implementation Opinions on Accelerating the Planning and Construction of New Towns During the 14th Five-Year Plan Period in the City”, as the core document to guide the promotion of new town planning and construction. The Implementation Opinions clarified the overall requirements, implementation strategies and supporting measures to accelerate the planning and construction of new towns in the 14th Five-Year Plan period.

Overall requirements for planning and construction of new towns

 

In terms of guiding ideology, the initiative is guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and is line with the spirits of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and the previous plenary sessions. Under the “Shanghai 2035” Master Plan, and in accordance with the positioning of independent comprehensive hub towns, the new towns will be developed into towns of the future that lead a high-quality life, key drivers behind the city’s economic development, pilot innovation areas for the city developed by people, demonstration areas for urban digital transformation, and strategic pillars to allow Shanghai to cast its influence in the Yangtze River Delta region.

In terms of basic principles, the initiative will take an overall perspective and follow the guidance of developing the “most modern”, “most eco-friendly”, “most convenient”, “most dynamic” and “most distinct” new towns. The new towns will feature industry-town integration, complete functions, balanced business and residential layout, livable environment, convenient transportation, and efficient governance. A people-centric approach will be adopted, with the commitment to reform and innovation, systemic arrangement, and local conditions, by forming a mechanism that is led by districts with support from the municipal level.

In terms of construction goals, by 2025, the total permanent population in the five new towns will reach 3.6 million, and the total GDP of the districts where the new towns are located will reach 1.1 trillion yuan. The new towns will have basically formed independent urban functions and have the preliminary qualifications to become comprehensive hub towns. It is specifically reflected in four aspects. In terms of industrial capacity, a batch of 100 billion yuan-level industrial clusters will be added. The central part of a new town will have the capacity equivalent to an urban sub-center in Shanghai. The new towns will become the driver behind Shanghai’s high-quality growth, the key platform to foster Shanghai’s economy on five fronts, and the demonstration benchmark for the integrated development of the towns and industries. In terms of public services, the new towns will own a number of high-level public service facilities and high-quality resources that serve new towns, have a regional influence and possess distinctive characteristics. A mature and diversified housing supply system will be established, and the 15-minute community-based living circle will have more functions. In terms of transportation, the basic framework of a comprehensive transportation system that supports the “30, 45, 60” travel goal will be formed, which means being able to reach anywhere within the new town or nearby central areas within 30 minutes, reach cities near Shanghai, central cities and adjacent new towns within 45 minutes, and reach international hubs within 60 minutes. In terms of environmental quality, a “blue-green” intertwined, open and connected “big ecosystem” that is superior to the downtown area will be formed, and refined management and modern governance capabilities will be comprehensively improved. By 2035, each of the five new towns will have about 1 million permanent residents, and will be basically developed into a comprehensive hub town with the influence to lead growth in the Yangtze River Delta region.

Implementation strategies for the planning and construction of the new towns

We will deliver on the national strategy, serve the overall development of “Four Functions” and “Five Centers”, fully tap the resource endowments of the five new towns, identify their respective development positioning, and speed up the gathering of characteristic functions in accordance with local conditions. On the top of clarifying the positioning, characteristics and functions, the focus will be placed on key areas such as industry, transportation, public services, environmental quality, to make concerted efforts to empower the new towns in a comprehensive manner, to fully implement the new positioning and requirements on independent comprehensive hub towns, and to reflect the “newness” of the new towns.

First, strengthen industry support and create an important driver behind the city’s economic development. First, lay a solid foundation for the development of the manufacturing industry and create a “one town, one park” pattern. Focus on key links in the industrial value chain, and leverage special branded parks as a key starting point to accelerate the introduction of functional institutions, high-level projects, major platforms, and leading enterprises, and build regional control centers for related industries. Specify the industrial land control line within the industrial base to ensure the development space for advanced manufacturing and strategic emerging industries. Strengthen the collaborative innovation between enterprises, universities and research institutes, and the transformation of scientific and technological achievements. Second, accelerate the development of the modern service industry and create a “one town, one center” pattern. Strengthen the service radiation function, attract the headquarters of advanced manufacturing enterprises, R&D centers, and operating platforms to gather in the new towns, promote the health industry, sports industry, and cultural industry to form special functions in the new towns, and accelerate the promotion of high-level production-oriented service industry and high-quality life-oriented service industry. The central areas in the new towns will be built in line with the arrangement for urban sub-centers in Shanghai, and a number of high-quality commercial and business clusters will be built. Third, adapt to the new technological revolution, and take the lead in realizing digital transformation. Promote the integration and penetration of manufacturing and service industries, take the lead in laying out new industries in the digital economy in the new towns, create a number of leading digital application scenarios to drive the overall digital transformation of the new towns.

Second, improve the comprehensive transportation system to form a strategic focal point radiating the Yangtze River Delta region. On the one hand, the city shall build a convenient and external transportation system featuring “one town, one hub.”  Prioritize the construction of comprehensive transportation hubs in new towns and the fast transportation channels with surrounding cities, strengthen connections with cities in the Yangtze River Delta region relying on national railway lines and intercity railways, speed up the implementation of municipal lines (intercity lines), strengthen convenient connection with transportation nodes near Shanghai, optimize the function of inland waterway navigation, and establish a green and safe external cargo collection and distribution system. On the other hand, insist on the principle of green and intensive development to build a complete internal transportation system. Accelerate the improvement of the public transportation system based on rail transportation (including local lines), increase the implementation of primary and secondary road planning, build distinctive and high-quality static and slow-moving transportation systems, and advocate green travel.

Third, raise the level of public service and attract all types of talent to gather in new towns. First, direct more high-quality public service resources to new towns and enhance the level of services that new towns can radiate to neighboring regions. Construct a systematic, high-quality, diversified and distinctive new town education system, accelerate the expansion and penetration of municipal high-quality medical resources into new towns, introduce high-quality cultural, sports, and tourism resources and professional teams on performance, planning and operations, hold high-level performances and professional top-tier sports events in order to have unique influence and radiation effects. Second, create a “15-minute community-based life circle” and improve the configuration of community-level public services. Promote the construction of community-level public service facilities in accordance with the construction standards and quality requirements superior to those of the city centers and look to have 85 percent of areas within 15 minutes’ walk to these public facilities. Third, optimize the spatial layout of residence and improve diversified housing supply system. Promote the joint development of housing planning and construction with rail transit construction, job distribution, and public facilities, increase the supply of land designated to housing, provide diversified accommodation options, improve a housing system that ensures supply through multiple sources, provide housing support through multiple channels, and encourage both housing purchase and renting.

Fourth, improve living environment and resilience, and enhance the spatial quality of new towns. On the one hand, forge an excellent living environment and create a “city card” of “one town, one image”. Strengthen the urban design of the entire city and key areas, enhance the comprehensiveness, systematism, and synergy of spatial quality, pay attention to the “fifth façade” (roof) and rooftop design of the building. Adhere to the “big ecosystem” pattern, improve open space network, and strengthen the combination of parks and green spaces with sports and cultural functions. Fully advocate a green and low-carbon lifestyle and urban construction and operation mode. Strengthen the protection of historical sceneries and promote the organic renewal of the old city district. On the other hand, build a smart and safe infrastructure and support system. Plan in advance the layout of the new infrastructure and promote the intelligent transformation of facilities. Build a safe and resilient urban space with high level of flexibility, resilience and quick recovery capabilities, and improve the comprehensive disaster prevention and mitigation capabilities of new towns, as well as the safety support capabilities for electricity and gas.

3. Implementation of new town planning and construction

In terms of operation and management, first, plan reasonably the construction sequence to ensure the concentration and visibility of new town construction. Formulate a rolling development plan, reasonably identify key areas and major projects, and promote regional development and construction with public infrastructure and environmental quality construction as the forerunner. Second, improve long-term mechanism and raise the level of development, construction and operation of new towns. Set up an expert advisory group, establish a functional platform company for new town development, select high-level design, development, and operation teams, establish an overall master mechanism for development and design of key development areas, give full play to the role of municipal state-owned enterprises, and encourage social capital to participate in the construction of new towns. Third, innovate governance model and improve the level of refined urban governance. Insist on data empowerment, strengthen the construction of the “Integrated Online Platform” and “One Network for Unified Management”, promote grid-style social management and combined service governance, and realize the development of refined, intelligent urban management and coordinated and transparent social governance.

In terms of supporting policies, first, strengthen talent introduction policies, improve residence permit points and settlement policies, enhance the introduction of urgently-needed talent and outstanding young talent, and broaden the channels for the introduction of overseas talent. Second, optimize land assurance policy. The city and district’s land use plan shall be tilted towards key areas and major projects in new towns, support the implementation of policies such as mixed land use in industrial blocks, strengthen life cycle management, and innovate classified disposal and exit mechanism of low-efficiency land. Third, strengthen fiscal and taxation support policies. The municipal and district-level governments shall strengthen fiscal and taxation support for new towns, and implement municipal-level land transfer income support policies within new towns . Fourth, optimize policies related to the improvement of business environment, deepen the reform of streamlining administration, delegating powers and optimizing services, focus on fast track project approval channels for key areas and major projects, exercise stronger oversight over delegated matters when they are being handled and after they have been handled, establish regulatory standards and systems that are in line with international levels, and create a new highland of first-class business environment. #