On the afternoon of June 1, the Information Office of Shanghai Municipality held a press briefing as part of its “Launching the 15th Five-Year Plan” series. Liu Jian, deputy secretary-general of the Shanghai Municipal Government and director of the Shanghai Municipal Development and Reform Commission, introduced the key elements of the 15th Five-Year Plan for the Development of the Service Sector of Shanghai Municipality. Huang Binbing, deputy director of the Publicity Department of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee, Qiu Wenjin, deputy director of the Shanghai Municipal Development and Reform Commission, Ge Dongbo, deputy director of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization, Liu Min, deputy director of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce, Mei Guangqing, deputy chief of Jing’an District and Zhou Cheng, deputy chief of Songjiang District attended the briefing and answered questions from reporters. To accelerate the expansion and upgrading of the service sector and promote high-quality, efficient development, Shanghai has formulated the 15th Five-Year Plan for the Development of the Service Sector in accordance with the national strategy for service-sector development and the objectives outlined in Shanghai’s 15th Five-Year Plan. The plan has been officially issued at the citywide conference on the development of the service sector.I. Background and Strategic Considerations of the 15th Five-Year Plan for the Development of the Service Sector of Shanghai MunicipalityShanghai is a service-oriented economy, with the service sector serving as the primary driver of growth and competitiveness. In 2025, the city’s service sector generated an added value of 4.5 trillion yuan, accounting for 79.3% of Shanghai’s GDP and contributing 85% of overall economic growth. Service-sector investment represented more than 80% of total fixed-asset investment, while the sector attracted over 90% of the city’s utilized foreign investment. Shanghai also maintained the largest service trade volume among all Chinese cities. Over the years, Shanghai has adhered to a planning-led approach to development, supported by a comprehensive implementation framework covering plan formulation, task allocation, execution, monitoring and evaluation. This mechanism has helped ensure effective delivery of policy objectives and promoted continuous improvements in the service sector’s structure, growth drivers and overall quality.2026 marks the first year of the 15th Five-Year Plan period. Amid accelerating changes unseen in a century, the continued advancement of high-quality development in China, deeper progress in Shanghai’s ambition on the “Five Centers,” and the rapid impact of a new wave of technological and industrial innovation, the city’s service sector is entering a new stage characterized by steady expansion in scale, structural upgrading, stronger innovation and factor capabilities, deeper reform, and a higher level of opening-up. The Plan is guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and follows the guiding principles set forth at the 20th CPC National Congress and subsequent plenary sessions of the 20th CPC Central Committee. It also reflects the important directives of President Xi Jinping on the development of the service sector and the priorities outlined at the National Conference on the Development of the Service Sector. Centered on Shanghai’s efforts to accelerate the development of the “Five Centers,” the Plan emphasizes demand-driven growth, deeper reform, innovation and international cooperation. It seeks to strengthen institutional support and leverage technological advancement as key drivers, foster high-caliber market players as a strategic foundation, and improve the efficiency of resource allocation as a critical safeguard. Through these efforts, the Plan aims to build new advantages in global competition, cultivate fresh momentum from digital and intelligent technologies, unlock new vitality for transformation and quality enhancement, and further strengthen the global reach and international competitiveness of “Shanghai Services.”II. Main Components of the 15th Five-Year Plan for the Development of the Service Sector of Shanghai Municipality The Plan consists of four main sections: overall objectives, key tasks, spatial layout, and supporting measures.Overall ObjectiveBy 2030, Shanghai aims to further enhance the digitalization, standardization, integration and internationalization of its service sector, and establish a high-quality, efficient service-sector system led by the city’s core service functions, anchored by high-end producer services and supported by high-quality consumer services. The Plan seeks to position Shanghai’s service sector as a more resilient foundation for economic growth and a more dynamic hub for the allocation of global service resources. By 2030, the sector’s value-added output is expected to achieve average annual growth of at least 5.5%, while labor productivity is projected to exceed 450,000 yuan per employee.Key TasksFollowing a tiered and category-based approach, the Plan emphasizes both capacity expansion and quality enhancement, while balancing development with effective regulation. It sets out four major areas of action. First, strengthen Shanghai’s core service functions in support of the “Five Centers” initiative. The city will expand the supply of high-quality financial services and improve the effectiveness of finance in serving the real economy. It will further enhance its role as a globally connected trading hub and build a global trade center with greater international influence. Efforts will be made to upgrade high-end maritime services and accelerate the digital and green transformation of the shipping industry. Shanghai will also strengthen science and technology innovation services and improve the commercialization and transfer of research outcomes. Second, enhance the enabling role of producer services and foster new drivers of industrial upgrading. The Plan will accelerate innovation in information services and strengthen foundational support for emerging “AI+” business models. It will expand the development space for professional services and build distinctive Shanghai service brands. The city will also pursue new breakthroughs in industrial services and promote the integrated development of manufacturing and services. Third, upgrade consumer services and unlock new vitality in service consumption. Shanghai will deepen the integrated development of culture, commerce, tourism, sports and exhibitions, creating more diversified experiential consumption scenarios. It will accelerate the development of healthcare services and promote the professional upgrading of education and training services. The city will support the high-quality development of the silver economy, build a diversified and high-quality childcare service system, advance the development of domestic services, and improve the quality and efficiency of accommodation and catering services. Fourth, proactively cultivate emerging service sectors and unlock future growth potential. Shanghai will foster new service industries driven by intelligent technologies, including AI software and services and autonomous driving. It will accelerate the development of next-generation health services related to innovative targeted therapies and brain-computer interfaces, while expanding new experience-economy services such as immersive cultural and tourism offerings and IP-driven consumption.Spatial LayoutFollowing a development approach tailored to local conditions and strengthened regional coordination, the Plan aims to establish a service-sector spatial framework featuring “one core, two wings, three corridors and multiple collaborative clusters” (1+2+3+N). The “one core” refers to the Central Activity Zone (CAZ), which will serve as a high-density, high-value service hub. The area will be developed into a vibrant, 24-hour destination integrating business offices, retail, cultural and performing arts venues, and social and lifestyle amenities. The “two wings” comprise the eastern wing, anchored by the Lingang Special Area and the Eastern Hub International Business Cooperation Zone, and the western wing, centered on the Hongqiao International Central Business District and the Yangtze River Delta Eco-Green Integrated Development Demonstration Zone. As key platforms for implementing national strategies on reform and opening-up, these areas will strengthen connectivity between domestic and international markets and serve as engines for service-sector innovation, reform and higher-level opening-up. The “three corridors” consist of the Riverside Service Corridor along the Huangpu River, the Suzhou Creek Service Corridor, and the Innovation Service Corridor. Leveraging the integrated development of waterfront and hinterland service functions along Shanghai’s “One River, One Creek” network, these corridors will connect major innovation nodes, amplify collaborative innovation, and enhance the service sector’s capacity to drive high-quality development through innovation. The “multiple collaborative clusters” component focuses on strengthening service-sector support functions and industrial empowerment in Shanghai’s five new towns, accelerating the transformation and upgrading of the city’s northern and southern development zones in Baoshan and Jinshan districts, and fostering distinctive industrial specializations through closer coordination between urban and suburban districts.Supporting MeasuresThe Plan calls for stronger coordination in implementation and more detailed policy execution. It emphasizes continued reform and innovation across the service sector, steady expansion of high-level opening-up, and further improvements to the business environment. The Plan also seeks to strengthen the coordinated provision of key production factors, including talent, capital, data and land, while fostering the growth of market participants and supporting the development of high-quality enterprises. In addition, efforts will be made to improve industry standards and statistical monitoring systems, creating a sound environment for the healthy and sustainable development of the service sector.Going forward, the Shanghai Municipal Development and Reform Commission will thoroughly implement the guiding principles of the citywide conference on the service sector, fully leverage its coordinating role and strengthen cross-departmental collaboration to ensure the effective implementation of Shanghai’s 15th Five-Year Plan for service sector development. We will remain committed to achieving new breakthroughs through dedicated efforts and delivering tangible results through practical action, while mobilizing a broad range of entities and fostering strong synergies across sectors. With a spirit of determination and innovation, Shanghai will strive to open a new chapter of high-quality and efficient service sector development.