On
the morning of yesterday (October 19), the Information Office of Shanghai
Municipality held a press briefing. Gu Jun, deputy secretary-general of the
Shanghai Municipal Government and director of the Shanghai Municipal
Development and Reform Commission, introduced the details of the Action Plan
for Further Promoting New Infrastructure Construction in Shanghai (2023-2026).
Peng Song, executive deputy director of the Shanghai Science and Technology
Innovation Promotion Office, Qiu Wenjin, deputy director of the Shanghai
Municipal Development and Reform Commission, Zhang Hongtao, deputy director of
the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization, Liu Bin,
deputy director of the Shanghai Municipal Transportation Commission, and Tang
Hao, full-time deputy director of the Lingang New Area Administration attended
the press briefing and answered questions from reporters.

Accelerating
the development of new infrastructure plays a crucial role in expanding
effective investments and embarking on a transformative journey within the
digital economy. It serves as a fundamental stepping stone towards fostering digital
transformation and cultivating a competitive edge for future growth. In 2020,
the municipal government initiated the inaugural phase of the New
Infrastructure Action Plan, establishing a leadership mechanism with key
municipal officials at the helm, while designated municipal leaders took charge
of convening specialized projects. This initiative successfully executed 26
construction tasks across four key domains, yielding commendable outcomes. As
of now, the city boasts a network of 88,000 operational 5G base stations. Our
percentage of 5G base stations within mobile phone base stations, standing at
37.2%, and the construction density of 5G base stations, measuring 13.8 per
square kilometer, lead the nation. Furthermore, we have instituted a significant
national science and technology foundation, comprising 11 state-of-the-art
facilities, known for their exemplary service capabilities and innovation
standards that are at the forefront of our nation. Additionally, construction
has commenced on the Yangtze River Delta’s critical node in the national
computing power network, which is anticipated to set a new benchmark for
computing power levels across the country. In a recent development, the
municipal government has unveiled the Action Plan for Further Promoting New
Infrastructure Construction in Shanghai (2023-2026).

1.       
Fundamental principles and primary objectives of
the latest New Infrastructure Action Plan

The
new iteration of the Action Plan for new infrastructure is keenly attuned to
the evolving landscape of technological advancements, encompassing intelligent
computing power, foundational models, data components, blockchain, robotics,
and sustainable, eco-friendly energy solutions. Rooted in the principles of
industry digitization, digital industrialization, and cross-sector integration,
this action plan aims to elevate the city’s infrastructure to a higher echelon,
accentuating excellence in technological leadership, application guidance,
comprehensive planning, and open collaboration.

The
principal objective is to catapult the city’s new infrastructure construction
and service quality to unprecedented heights by the conclusion of 2026,
underpinned by the attainment of ‘Four Key Milestones’: 1) Pioneering the
Global “Dual 10-Gigabit City”: This entails the initial establishment of a city
distinguished by 5G-A and 10-Gigabit optical networks, showcasing cutting-edge
connectivity and speed; 2) Accelerating High-Performance Computing and Quality
Data Infrastructure: This involves expediting the development of potent
computing resources and robust data infrastructure that support extensive
artificial intelligence models and innovative blockchain applications; 3) Creating
the World’s Largest Innovative Infrastructure Cluster: The goal here is to
inaugurate the most expansive and versatile cluster of innovative
infrastructure globally, covering a diverse range of infrastructure types with
unparalleled comprehensive service capabilities; 4) Comprehensive Development
of an All-Encompassing Urban Intelligent Terminal Facility System: The plan
also seeks to holistically construct an integrated, extensive urban intelligent
terminal facility system that is ubiquitous in its reach and functionality.

2. Core components and supporting measures of the
latest New Infrastructure Action Plan

In this new iteration of the Action Plan for new
infrastructure, the focal areas have been broadened into five key dimensions:
“new network, new computing power, new data, new facilities, and new
terminals.” Additionally, the plan presents 30 pivotal tasks, 10 major
demonstration projects, and incorporates 7 comprehensive supportive measures.

First, the city will strive to establish an advanced
network infrastructure for universal Internet access. This involves five
primary components: 1) the promotion and advancement of 5G and fixed networks
towards “dual 10-Gigabit,” coupled with expediting pilot deployments of 5G-A
networks, and instigating pilot programs for 10-Gigabit home networks; 2) the strategic
deployment of satellite Internet, seamlessly uniting the sky and the earth,
while steadily advancing commercial constellation networking and innovative
“smart sky” network initiatives; 3) the construction of international network
hub facilities to facilitate connectivity between domestic and global networks,
entailing the expansion of Shanghai’s national Internet backbone direct
connection points and the creation of new international Internet data dedicated
channels; 4) the establishment of a robust industrial Internet ecosystem,
deeply ingrained within characteristic parks, culminating in the development of
over 30 industry-specific or regional industrial Internet platforms; 5) the
establishment of comprehensive network security and protection mechanisms,
bolstering situational awareness, intelligent defense capabilities, as well as
monitoring and early warning capabilities to enhance network security.

Second, the city will strive to establish high-performance
computing infrastructure for Cloud-Network collaboration. This endeavor
encompasses four key elements: 1) Development of a City-Wide High-Speed
All-Optical Computing Power Ring Network: This network will seamlessly
interconnect the primary computing power resources across the city, creating an
intricate web of high-speed data transmission and processing; 2) Creation of an
Extensive Independent and Controllable Intelligent Computing Power
Infrastructure: The objective here is to build an ultra-large-scale
infrastructure characterized by autonomy and control, aimed at nurturing
domestic intelligent computing capabilities capable of supporting the training
of models with trillions of parameters; 3) Establishment of an Inclusive Urban
Public Computing Service Platform: This platform will play a pivotal role in
supporting the enhancement and expansion of high-performance computing
resources within the urban landscape, enabling accessibility to a wider range
of users; 4) Creation of a Multi-Tiered Commercial Intelligent Computing Power
Cluster: A “dual-core, one-belt” commercial computing power spatial layout will
be instituted within the city. This strategic layout will encourage a vibrant
ecosystem of commercial computing capabilities.

Third, the city will strive to developing high-quality data
infrastructure infused with digital intelligence. This segment entails five
critical components: 1) Pioneering a National-Level Data Trading Platform: This
platform will feature integral elements such as product trading and asset
certificate services within the Shanghai Data Exchange; 2) Curation of
Multilingual Corpora and Premium Industry Data Sets: This initiative involves
the collection of vast amounts of internet data, literature-based knowledge
bases, scientific databases, and high-quality industry data sets. Ultimately,
this will lead to the creation of a comprehensive multilingual database; 3) Creation
of Pujiang Digital Chain and Government Blockchain Infrastructure: These
infrastructures will be harnessed to facilitate applications in diverse
sectors, including cross-border trade, shipping, supply chain finance, and
regional credit reporting; 4) Establishment of a Public Data Resource Library
and Authorized Operations Platform: This initiative will promote efficient and
convenient sharing and cross-regional circulation of public data resources,
fostering collaboration and knowledge dissemination; 5) Development of Urban
Digital Twins and Metaverse Infrastructure: This segment will focus on crafting
an authoritative, user-friendly urban “one-map” service application system,
equipped with urban digital twins and metaverse infrastructure, providing
innovative and open spatial intelligence applications.

Fourth,
the city will strive to establish open and empowering high-level innovation
infrastructure. This initiative encompasses six pivotal elements: 1)
Advancement of Major Scientific and Technological Infrastructure: The plan
includes the promotion of construction and accessibility to significant
scientific and technological infrastructure. It aims to accelerate the
development of key national scientific and technological infrastructure during
the 14th Five-Year Plan period, along with the initial phase of infrastructure
projects for collaborative multi-body unmanned systems; 2) Accelerating the
Development of Next-Generation Synchrotron Radiation Pre-Research Equipment:
The goal here is to expedite the construction of pre-research equipment for the
next-generation synchrotron radiation, striving for its inclusion in the
national major science and technology infrastructure plan; 3) Proactive
Investment in 6G Technology Research and Development Facilities: This entails
taking a proactive role in the setup of 6G technology research and development
test facilities. The plan is to lead the way in creating terrestrial technology
test environments and 6G test network testing laboratories; 4) Establishing a
Digital Twin Simulation Verification Platform for Chip Manufacturing: The plan
is to create a comprehensive digital twin platform for simulating and verifying
the entire chip manufacturing process, offering third-party verification
services for independently controllable equipment and software product testing;
5) Creation of an End-to-End Empowerment Platform for the Biomedical Industry:
This initiative will focus on the establishment of a holistic empowerment
platform for the biomedical sector, featuring a synthetic biology innovation
center, and innovation platforms for genotype construction and cell design; 6)
Development of Innovative Infrastructure for Intelligent Robotics: The goal is
to lay the groundwork for intelligent robot innovation infrastructure,
fostering the development of a collaborative platform centered around
innovation involving foundational models together with humanoid robots.

Fifth, the city will strive to craft convenient, intelligent, and
efficient terminal infrastructure. This initiative comprises 10 essential
components: 1) Development of Ubiquitous Intelligent Urban Sensing Facilities:
This involves the establishment of IoT sensing neuron nodes throughout the
city, exceeding a total of 20 million, thereby enhancing urban intelligence and
data collection; 2) Creation of Smart Car Support Service Facilities: The plan
is to promote the smart transformation of road parking lots and enhance smart
parking guidance capabilities in key areas, particularly for supporting smart
vehicles; 3) Evolution of ‘Sea and Air’ Transportation Hubs into Smart
Upgrades: This entails the development and enhancement of digital twin smart
airports in both Pudong and Hongqiao, while also driving the smart
transformation of Waigaoqiao and Yangshan ports; 4) Development of an
Integrated Smart Cold Chain Logistics System: This system will bolster regional
smart distribution capabilities, ensuring the timely and efficient delivery of
goods; 5) Establishment of a Flexible and Shared Intelligent Energy Facility
Network: The plan includes the pilot deployment of new reverse charging devices
for electric vehicles and exploration of the construction of a “virtual power
plant” facility system; 6) Rollout of a Clean and Efficient Hydrogen Energy
Application System: This encompasses the development of an integrated hydrogen
production, storage, and hydrogenation station system; 7) Creation of
Next-Generation Smart Campuses: These campuses will seamlessly integrate
offline and online elements, with standardized school digital bases in all
districts to facilitate a unified educational experience; 8) Construction of
Advanced and Inclusive Smart Medical Service Facilities: The aim here is to
optimize a patient-centric, full-process closed-loop smart medical service
model, ensuring inclusive access to high-quality healthcare; 9) Development of
Safe and Convenient Intelligent Elderly Care Infrastructure: This initiative
involves the upgrade and establishment of over 100 smart nursing homes,
enhancing the quality of care provided to the elderly and individuals in need;
10) Establishment of Smart Living Facilities for Quality Life Sharing: This
includes the development of new consumption models like unmanned convenience
stores and smart vending machines, addressing gaps in the new infrastructure
landscape, and enhancing the overall quality of life for residents.

Shanghai
will build upon the valuable experiences and insights gained from the initial
set of demonstration projects. The city’s focus will revolve around enhancing
high-performance computing capabilities, implementing cutting-edge blockchain
technology, fostering the growth of the data element market, piloting
authorized public data operations, deploying robotics at scale, showcasing
advanced autonomous driving buses, and optimizing smart warehousing facilities.
Additionally, the city will delve into offshore wind power and hydrogen
production, empower innovation with health and medical data, and pioneer new
smart elderly care demonstrations. This holistic approach will drive the
creation of a fresh set of 10 demonstration projects, supported by municipal
construction fiscal resources, in compliance with the relevant provisions of
the Implementation Plan for New Infrastructure Major Demonstration Projects in
Shanghai.

In
the next phase, Shanghai will continue to leverage its work mechanism for the
city’s new infrastructure construction, while deepening its planning and
strategic positioning, fortifying essential resource support, refining
standardized protocols, broadening demonstration applications, guiding market
investments, reinforcing legal safeguards, and ultimately establishing a new
infrastructure construction epicenter. This will provide crucial backing for
Shanghai’s all-encompassing urban digital transformation, elevating the city’s
impact and core competitiveness to new heights.