Press Release for Media Briefing of the Shanghai Municipal Government on September 16, 2025

2025.09.16

On the morning of today (September 16), the fourth press briefing in Shanghai’s “14th Five-Year Plan Achievements” series under the banner “Delivering Solid Results through Action, Advancing the New Blueprint” — Jing’an District: Striving to Build an Exceptional Modern International Urban Area — was held. Zhong Xiaoyong, Secretary of the CPC Jing’an District Committee, Zhai Lei, deputy Party Secretary and district chief, Shen Hong, director of the Jing’an District Development and Reform Commission, Yao Lei, director of the Jing’an District Commission of Commerce, and Shi Yu, director of the Jing’an District Construction Administration Committee attended the press briefing and answered questions from reporters.As a core district of Shanghai’s central urban area, Jing’an is highly internationalized, home to a concentration of high-end industries, and a hub of a thriving service economy, consistently leading the city’s regional economic and social development. The 14th Five-Year Plan period marks a pivotal stage in Jing’an’s growth. Jing’an has been earnestly studying and implementing Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and following the directives of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee and Shanghai Municipal Government as it is advancing towards the goal of “accelerating the development of an outstanding modern international urban area” by coordinating high-quality growth, high-level reform and opening-up, high-quality living, and efficient governance, striving to build a model of Chinese modernization at the urban area level.1. Creating distinctive advantages by strengthening core competitiveness. Since the start of the 14th Five-Year Plan period, Jing’an District has consistently leveraged its strengths, fully capitalized on its central position, and steadily enhanced the core competitiveness, making significant contributions to Shanghai’s overall development. Comprehensive economic strength achieves a new leap forward. In 2024, Jing’an District’s GDP reached 336.99 billion yuan, surpassing the 300-billion-yuan milestone, while per capita GDP hit 360,000 yuan, 1.5 times that of 2020. District-level general public budget revenue reached 30.22 billion yuan, ranking among the highest in Shanghai. The district boasts 92 buildings each contributing over 100 million yuan in annual taxes, the highest in the central urban area, including nine buildings with monthly tax contributions exceeding 100 million yuan.Commercial consumption surges with renewed vitality. The district has been actively cultivating the debut economy and emerging consumption trends by attracting top chic brands, offering the latest experiences, and creating an exceptional environment. Since 2021, the district has introduced 991 first-of-their-kind stores across various categories. Several landmark projects have become consumer hotspots both nationally and internationally, while total retail sales of consumer goods rank first among Shanghai’s central urban areas. The headquarters economy reaches new milestones. Since the start of the 14th Five-Year Plan period, Jing’an District has welcomed 85 new regional and corporate headquarters of multinational companies, bringing the total to 142, including 26 private enterprise headquarters, ranking among the city’s top districts for headquarters concentration. Tax contributions from the headquarters economy have grown at an average rate of 11.1 percent per year.2. Fostering stronger momentum by driving high-quality industrial growth. The district has enhanced the quality and efficiency of leading industries while cultivating emerging sectors. Six pillar industries now contribute over 85 percent of the district’s economy. High-end service brands continue to gain prominence. The number of ‘global service providers’ in the district has grown from 48 at the end of the 13th Five-Year Plan period to 103 today, representing one-third of Shanghai’s top professional service institutions. This has created a robust, comprehensive, and diverse service ecosystem. In the five leading sectors — human resources, consulting, advertising, legal services, and quality inspection, the district contributes over 18 percent of the city’s total revenue, ranking first citywide. The tax contribution of professional services rose from 15.8 percent in 2020 to 22.1 percent in 2024. Financial services are also concentrating, with the international wealth management hub taking shape. The merged Guotai Jun’an Securities and Haitong Securities established their headquarters in Jing’an, now ranked among the world’s top 10 securities companies. Eight of the PEI 300’s top 10 global private equity funds operating in China are all based in Jing’an, which has also been designated one of Shanghai’s first equity investment and M&A clusters.The advantages of commerce services are increasingly prominent, with the sector now accounting for one-third of the district’s economy. Since the start of the 14th Five-Year Plan period, total merchandise sales have consistently exceeded one trillion yuan. Among the district’s top 200 tax-contributing enterprises, more than 60 percent are in commerce services. Emerging service trades are growing rapidly, with offshore service outsourcing rising from US$560 million at the end of the 13th Five-Year Plan period to US$1.47 billion. Jing’an boasts a strong concentration of scientific and technological innovation, accelerating the growth of emerging industries such as data intelligence, cultural creativity, and life sciences. The district is home to one-third of the city’s core big data companies and one-third of the world’s top 50 pharmaceutical firms. Recently, it has focused on integrating commerce, culture, creativity, and technology, tapping into niche sectors including blockchain, ultra-high-definition audio-visual, and beauty and health. Jing’an is developing three flagship platforms — ‘Blockchain Valley,’ ‘Audio-Visual Jing Realm,’ and ‘Beauty Nova’ — and, by aligning sectors, spaces, and policies, is building a fully integrated innovation ecosystem to drive the upgrade of emerging industries.3. Stimulating greater vitality by high-level reform and opening up. As a pioneer of reform and opening up, Jing’an District remains committed to continuous innovation in practice, further strengthening the district’s advantages as “International Jing’an.” The gateway for foreign investment continues to widen. From 2021 to 2024, Jing’an District attracted 1,122 foreign direct investment projects, 220 more than during the same period of the 13th Five-Year Plan, with contracted foreign investment reaching US$4.83 billion, an increase of US$210 million. This ranks first among Shanghai’s central urban areas in both scale and proportion. Focusing on key trade and commerce sectors, the district has promoted institutional openness, established the city’s first high-quality product import demonstration zone, launched the nation’s first commercial ‘bonded warehouse’ in Zhang Yuan, and pioneered free trade account innovations. Over the first four years of the 14th Five-Year Plan period, average annual foreign trade imports and exports reached 1.5 times the level of the 13th Five-Year Plan period.The pace of ‘going global’ is steadily accelerating. Leveraging high-end foreign-related professional and financial services, Jing’an is advancing the ‘Global Service Provider’ initiative, establishing Shanghai’s first overseas investment project licensing consulting service point in the central urban area, along with the first batch of 10 overseas service points. This year alone, the district has supported over 600 companies in the Yangtze River Delta region in expanding overseas. The business environment continues to improve. Jing’an District has implemented 693 measures to optimize the business climate, ranking at the forefront of citywide assessments. From 2021 to June 2024, 47,600 new market entities were established, 1.8 times the number during the 13th Five-Year Plan period. Cultivating top-tier local enterprises remains a priority, supported by a tiered development plan for private enterprise headquarters. Today, private enterprises account for nearly 85 percent of the district’s total and a quarter of its top 200 companies by revenue.4. Enhancing quality by advancing urban renewal. Leveraging urban renewal as a key driver, the district focuses on optimizing layouts, revitalizing infrastructure, and improving urban functionality. Prioritizing livable and secure housing. Since the 14th Five-Year Plan period, Jing’an has focused on renovating 47 remaining plots and over 5,000 residential buildings with scattered second-level or lower certifications, completing the work seven months ahead of schedule. A total of 12 old buildings renovation projects have been implemented, benefiting 4,849 households, while all 2,095 thin-beam and slab-clad old homes were renovated two and a half years ahead of schedule. Pengpu New Village, one of the city’s first workers’ new villages, completed the renovation and occupancy of all 4,907 old public housing units. Additionally, 1,495 elevators have been installed in existing multi-story residential buildings, nearly 15,000 rental units have been completed, and almost 3,000 beds have been added to the New Era Home for Urban Builders and Managers.Building renewal as a key initiative. By closely integrating building renewal with business model innovation, regional redevelopment, and public service infrastructure upgrades, the district has energized market participants. To date, 35 commercial and office buildings, including JC Plaza and Four Seasons Hotel, have been renovated. Another 23 projects, such as Plaza 66 and Westgate Mall, are underway, continuously enhancing the vitality and performance of these properties. Effective preservation of historical features. The district has been actively preserving Shanghai’s historic assets, with Zhang Yuan, the city’s largest and most complete Shikumen architectural complex, serving as a benchmark for heritage protection and organic urban renewal. The first phase (west zone) has been transformed into a high-quality public space and a new urban landmark, while the second phase (east zone) is scheduled for completion next year. In addition, the district targeted underutilized land and industrial parks, revitalizing existing resources based on local conditions and creating new space for high-quality development.5. Building a stronger, more people-centered foundation through city development. The district has been making efforts to prioritize resources for the people, strive to improve livelihoods, and fully commit to advancing a city that serves its residents. Public services continue to advance. To meet the needs of both the elderly and children, the district has actively developed community-based eldercare, introducing a pioneering linkage model that integrates the full cycle of medical and nursing care. We established the nation’s first “baby house,” ensuring comprehensive coverage of childcare and early childhood services, and opened childcare centers for children under two. In medical institutions, beds and physicians per thousand residents are 1.3 and 1.5 times the city average, respectively, while the average life expectancy of registered residents exceeds the city average by 2.3 years.The cultural soft power continues to rise. The “Birthplace of the Party” red culture heritage project is advancing with high standards, with 106 sites carefully preserved and restored. Public cultural benefits are widely promoted, with per capita space for cultural facilities among the city’s highest. Each year, the district hosts over 10,000 international performances and 5,000 resident performances, both ranking first locally. Governance effectiveness continues to strengthen. The district is building a model zone for refined urban management, maintaining an excellent environment that ranks first in public satisfaction surveys. In Jing’an District, the 6.3-kilometer Suzhou Creek shoreline is fully open to the public. Recent improvements include 26.5 hectares of public green space, 113,000 square meters of vertical greening, 12.7 kilometers of greenways, and 24 new parks and pocket parks, bringing the total to 44. These initiatives ensure that residents can “enjoy greenery from their windows, discover beauty around every corner, and step into parks just outside their homes.”This year marks the 10th anniversary of the new Jing’an District and the final year of the 14th Five-Year Plan period. Looking ahead to the 15th Five-Year Plan period and the coming decade, under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and strong leadership of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee and Shanghai Municipal Government, Jing’an will pursue development with greater confidence, set higher goals, and strive for excellence. The district will build on its strengths, leverage its advantages, optimize its layout, and enhance its functions. Jing’an is striving to achieve excellence and take the lead, playing a stronger role and making greater contributions in the overall development of the city, and securing a leading position in the construction of the ‘Five Centers’ while delivering even greater achievements.