On
the morning of yesterday (August 31), the Information Office of Shanghai
Municipality held the eighth press briefing on “High-Quality Development in
Shanghai” (Changning District special session) under the theme of
“Collaborating to Bolster Core Hongqiao and Comprehensively Enhancing
Digitalization.” Zhang Wei, Secretary of the CPC Changning District Committee,
introduced the details of Changning District’s efforts and work plans to
promote high-quality economic and societal development. Hou Jijun, Deputy Party
Secretary and chief of Changning District, Ye Pengju, director of Changning
District Development and Reform Commission, Zhang Yuan, director of Changning
District Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, and Su Liqiong, deputy
director of Changning District Planning and Resources Bureau, attended the
press briefing and answered questions from reporters.

Changning
holds a pivotal role as a crucial gateway connecting Shanghai to the Yangtze
River Delta, embracing both domestic and international influences. It stands as
a significant window through which Shanghai showcases its commitment to reform
and opening-up. This district boasts unique geographical advantages,
distinctively opening-up characteristics, and a rich cultural heritage. Our
current press conference unfolds within the Hongqiao International Opening-up
Hub Business Service Center, situated in the Hongqiao Economic and
Technological Development Zone, which proudly stands as one of the nation’s
pioneering economic and technological development zones. In 2021, the
transformation of the Hongqiao International Opening-up Hub into a national
strategic initiative marked a new historic opportunity for Changning’s
development. Throughout its journey, from the Zone to the Hub, Changning’s
progress has been intrinsically tied to national strategic objectives,
consistently elevating its regional capabilities to new heights in support of
these national imperatives.

In
the present moment, our district steadfastly seizes major opportunities and
courageously shoulders strategic responsibilities. We are resolute in our
commitment to pursue high-quality development as our foremost priority.
Changning actively spearheads the transformation of our city’s core functions,
transitioning from mere existence to a position of strength. This strategic
focus manifests in three key areas.

Firstly,
the Core Hongqiao brand injects fresh vitality into our district. Changning, as
the sole central urban district within the Hongqiao Opening-up Hub, has
leveraged district-wide efforts to champion the Core Hongqiao initiative. We
have been accelerating the implementation of a host of high-quality policies
and measures, with a keen focus on optimizing our industrial development
landscape and continuously enhancing our role as a pivotal hub and gateway. In
the first seven months of this year, Changning District contributed over
one-third of the tax revenue within the Hongqiao International Central Business
District, despite occupying less than one-seventh of the total area. Driven by
our strategic priorities, the district’s economic growth surged in the first
half of the year, with the GDP recording a year-on-year increase of 15.3%,
securing our position at the top of the city rankings. Between January and
July, the district-level general public budget revenue exceeded 70% of its
target. Our “3+3” key industries, comprising the Internet, life-oriented service
industry, aviation service industry, and fashion and creative industry, along
with the additional trio of artificial intelligence, life sciences and health,
and financial services, have taken on increasingly prominent roles in
supporting regional development. Tax revenue from these sectors now accounts
for a substantial 70% of the total. Moreover, our buildings-based economy
continued to flourish, with the average tax generated per unit area in key
commercial buildings hovering at approximately 9,000 yuan per square meter. The
Shanghai Arch achieved a remarkable milestone last year by becoming the city’s
first building to surpass 10 billion yuan in tax revenue. As of July this year,
its tax revenue had once again exceeded 10 billion yuan, reaffirming its status
as the first building to reach the mark within this year.

Secondly,
the journey towards digital transformation has ignited a fresh wave of
innovation. “Digital Changning” boasts a rich history of over two decades of
progress. In recent years, the “Internet plus life-oriented service industry”
has surged forward with remarkable vigor. A constellation of industry leaders
and high-quality small and medium-sized enterprises have coalesced, propelling
the digital economy to become not only the largest but also the most potent
industry in the district. Between January and July, the tax revenue generated
by over 6,100 digital economy enterprises accounted for 54.9% of the district’s
total tax income. Notably, we witnessed the emergence of 26 e-commerce
platforms with transaction value exceeding 100 million yuan each, collectively
achieving the highest transaction value in the city. Moreover, the software and
information industry recorded a 58.9% revenue growth in the first half of the
year, securing our district’s top position in this regard. Changning has
consistently championed the primacy of innovation as the driving force behind
our growth. We have established a clear role for ourselves within the city’s
science and technology innovation landscape, fully leveraging our advantages
and proactively forging a path in scientific and technological innovation
within the central area. Currently, we are harnessing the opportunity presented
by the deepening of the “Science and Technology Innovation in China” pilot
project to develop a world-class “Shanghai Silicon Alley” science and
innovation hub. This initiative fully taps the leadership of institutions such
as Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Shanghai
Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of
Sciences. Spanning an impressive 1.48 square kilometers, this area hosts more
than 10 innovation hubs, including SIMIC Valley and Huawei Unicom Innovation
Demonstration Center, as well as over 500 technology companies. The collective
efforts are directed toward catalyzing the return of technology to the city and
fostering a culture of innovation and transformation throughout our community.

Thirdly,
the district has embarked on a comprehensive renewal to unveil a new facet of its
charm. Changning has been at the forefront of urban renewal efforts, completing
the transformation of sub-level old neighborhoods even before the conclusion of
the 12th Five-Year Plan period. We have consistently pursued innovative urban
renewal practices. In recent years, Changning has embraced the role of
trailblazer, fostering a deep commitment to whole-process people’s democracy.
Our vision centers on creating a “15-minute beautiful community life circle.”
Through extensive and panoramic renewal initiatives, we are seamlessly
connecting the external to the internal, the roads to the lanes, and individual
elements to the overall urban landscape. This approach catalyzes the
enhancement of urban quality, spatial optimization, and the augmentation of
public services. Our ethos of “openness and friendliness” guides us as we
continually enhance the quality of the waterfront spaces along the Suzhou
Creek. We actively facilitate the integration and accessibility of landmarks
such as Zhongshan Park as a centennial park and East China University of
Political Science and Law as a centennial campus. In the first half of the
year, the Gate 1 area of Zhongshan Park was fully opened and the cruise ship
terminal was put into operation. The construction of aesthetically pleasing
neighborhoods like Art Yuyuan, Humanities Xinhua, Elegant Wuyi, and Walking in
Panyu is in full swing. Notably, Yuyuan Road and Wuyi Road have earned
distinction as part of the second batch of nationally and municipally
recognized tourism and leisure districts, respectively. In our unwavering
commitment to community well-being, Changning has completed the renovation of
246,000 square meters of separate old housing. Committed to the city’s renovation
mandate for old residential communities and urban villages, we have embarked on
projects to revamp sanitation facilities in lane-based housing and transform
dilapidated housing. These efforts are slated for completion within the next
five years. Grounded in our vision of a “green and low-carbon” future, we have
been deepening our commitment to constructing a “zero waste city.” We have forged
a network of habitat gardens and introduced the CN100 (Carbon Neutrality 100)
building carbon neutrality initiative mechanism, marking our pioneering step
towards a sustainable future as part of the first Shanghai International Carbon
Expo.

Recently,
during the third plenary session of the 12th CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee,
a comprehensive review and approval took place regarding the strategies for
deepening high-level reform, fostering opening-up, and advancing high-quality
development. The execution of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee’s decisions
stands as a pivotal task in our current agenda and for the foreseeable future.
Changning, always grounded in practicality, steadfastly upholds the principles
of what we call the “Four Priorities,” serving as the cornerstone of our
strategy, harmoniously intertwined with the reinforcement of the “Four
Functions.” We have crafted corresponding implementation strategies that will
guide us unwaveringly. Through these strategies, we will bolster our
capabilities via reform, amplify our potential through increased opening-up,
and blaze new trails through innovation. In a nutshell, our commitment is
resolute — to diligently propel Changning towards high-quality development,
thus achieving remarkable advancements on this exciting new journey.

Firstly,
we are committed to elevating the prominence of strategic components within our
district. In a proactive manner, we align ourselves with the latest policies
and measures introduced at the Hongqiao International Opening-up Hub. Our
approach remains grounded in the real needs of enterprises and the unique
strengths of Changning. We actively seek opportunities for pioneering trials,
continuously refining and augmenting the district’s core competitiveness. Our
dedicated efforts extend to fostering the growth and utilization of the eastern
precinct of Hongqiao Airport. We rigorously amalgamate resources, thereby
augmenting the availability of high-quality facilities within the Linkong core
area. Moreover, we are accelerating the pace of rejuvenation in the old
Hongqiao region, resolutely advancing major undertakings such as Yi Fung Place,
Crystal Hongqiao, Livat Shanghai, and Hongqiao Uptown. To achieve these
ambitions, we harness the full potential of functional platforms like the Hongqiao
International Opening-up Hub Business Service Center, the Chinese-European
Enterprise Transnational Exchange and Cooperation Platform, and the Greater
Hongqiao Life Sciences Innovation Center. Through these platforms, we
effectively expand our reach and amplify our influence, ultimately making the Core
Hongqiao area a resplendent emblem in the landscape of Changning’s development.

The second focus area centers on intensifying the
clustering of distinctive industries. We are on a fast track to construct a
modern industrial ecosystem that distinctly embodies Changning’s identity. Our
goal is to continually enhance the overall vitality and adaptability of our
industries. Capitalizing on the opportunity presented by Shanghai’s
establishment of the Silk Road E-commerce cooperation pioneer zone, we are
actively harnessing the transformative potential of Internet trading platforms
in resource allocation and consumption. This endeavor aims to solidify and
enhance our competitive edge in the Internet plus life-oriented service
industry. Simultaneously, we are dedicated to fostering the high-quality and
innovative development of the aviation service industry. Our vision encompasses
the creation of a comprehensive industry chain that encompasses aviation
logistics, aviation factor trading, and aviation maintenance. In parallel, we
are driving the development of fashion and creative industry clusters,
hastening the realization of fashion landmarks like DoBe WE at Greater Hongqiao and Columbia
Circle Phase II. We’re also championing the transformation and advancement of
modern commerce and related sectors towards high-end, intelligent, and
eco-friendly directions. In addition, we are proactively establishing new
pathways for industries such as intelligent terminals and expediting the
ecological development of future industries.

The
third critical focus lies in intensifying the integration of scientific and
technological innovation. We are diligently attuned to the evolving paradigms
in scientific and technological innovation and are harnessing the full might of
our industrial system to create exemplary demonstration scenarios. To fortify
our scientific and technological prowess, we are actively welcoming
national-level applied technology research centers and academician teams. Our
support extends to research institutions and market entities as they tackle
intricate challenges in cutting-edge science and technology, thus enhancing our
capacity to apply scientific and technological breakthroughs. We firmly uphold
the pivotal role of enterprises in driving scientific and technological
innovation. Our commitment involves strengthening the profound fusion of
industry, academia, and research under the leadership of enterprises. We also
harness the potential of the “Ning Chuang” science and technology financial
service station, steering and catalyzing social capital investment. We
encourage investment in core technology, technology breakthroughs, and
innovative applications, thus forging a financial sector that serves
technological innovation and the real economy more effectively. In tandem, we
are enhancing our enterprise service system across “Three levels and Three
series.” Leveraging the roles of providing services at the doorstep and keenly
supporting newcomers, we are actively cultivating a first-rate business
environment, nurturing a vibrant scientific and technological innovation
ecosystem that thrives and evolves.

The
fourth dimension of our focus centers on heightening the responsiveness to our
residents’ needs. The ultimate aspiration of high-quality development is to
enrich the lives of our citizens. In conjunction with our efforts to construct
beautiful neighborhoods and initiatives such as the “15-minute beautiful
community life circle,” we are committed to exploring sustainable models for
urban renewal. Operating under the down-to-earth and community-oriented mantra,
we are vigorously driving the development and accessibility of high-standard
urban public spaces to provide our citizens with an abundance of leisurely
settings and amenities. In line with this vision, we are progressively
implementing a new wave of public support projects, methodically advancing the
construction of high-quality communities. Our initiatives include the
installation of elevators in older residential complexes, fostering balanced
and high-quality advancements in essential social services such as education,
healthcare, elderly care, culture, and sports. Our resolute aim is to ensure
that the benefits of high-quality development are enjoyed by our citizens in an
increasingly equitable manner.