Press Release for Media Briefing of the Shanghai Municipal Government on May 18, 2026

2026.05.18

The Information Office of Shanghai Municipality held a special press briefing on May 18 on the launch of Shanghai’s 15th Five-Year Plan period. Gong Zheng, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee and Mayor of Shanghai, delivered a keynote briefing and answered questions from Chinese and foreign media.Gong said that in formulating Shanghai’s 15th Five-Year Plan, the city has consistently followed the guiding principles set out in President Xi Jinping’s important speeches during his inspection tour to the city and his key instructions on Shanghai’s development. The plan is driven by scientific and technological innovation, powered by reform and opening-up, guided by major national strategies, and supported by the modernization of urban governance. It sets out Shanghai’s major development goals, key tasks and flagship projects for the next five years. The plan centers on concerted efforts in five priorities. Specifically, Shanghai will step up efforts towards its ambition of the “Five Centers” by enhancing its role as an international economic center, strengthening the competitiveness and influence as an international financial center, upgrading the quality and capacity as an international trade center, improving the global resource allocation capacity as an international shipping center, and reinforcing its role as a global hub for science and technology innovation. The city will also focus on fostering new quality productive forces by strengthening sci-tech innovation capacity, upgrading industrial structure and amplifying the spillover effects of the WorldSkills Competition. In addition, Shanghai will support the creation of a new development paradigm by boosting consumption, expanding effective investment, and stabilizing foreign trade and foreign investment. The plan also emphasizes advancing high-level reform and opening-up as the city serves as a testing ground for deeper reform and opening-up in key areas, foster the development of a new open economy, and continuously improve its business environment. At the same time, Shanghai will further advance the development of a people-centered city by creating a livable and people-friendly city with a high quality of life, building a greener and lower-carbon Shanghai, and strengthening the city’s safety and resilience.Responding to a question on the development of Shanghai’s pilot zone for basic research, Gong said President Xi Jinping’s remarks at a symposium on strengthening basic research in Shanghai had provided clear direction and fundamental guidance for advancing high-quality basic research in the city. Gong said Shanghai will further strengthen basic research with greater commitment and more concrete measures, guided by the development of the Shanghai (Yangtze River Delta) International Science and Technology Innovation Center. The city will optimize the overall framework for basic research by better integrating high-quality scientific research resources and build a leading hub for basic research talent by accelerating the development of a deep, high-quality and well-structured basic research workforce. Shanghai will also foster a more dynamic basic research environment by developing a pilot zone for basic research and providing scientists with long-term and stable support for high-risk, high-value fundamental research.Responding to a question on institutional opening-up, Gong said that, as a national frontrunner in reform and opening-up, Shanghai will align with high-standard international economic and trade rules during the 15th Five-Year Plan period and pursue more pioneering and integrated reform initiatives. The city will deepen trailblazing, high-standard institutional opening-up by further advancing the development of Pudong New Area as a pioneer area for socialist modernization, accelerating the construction of the Lin-gang Special Economic Function Zone, strengthening the core functions of the Hongqiao International Central Business District, and speeding up efforts to build the East Hub International Business Cooperation Zone into a new benchmark for international gateway hubs in the new era.Responding to a question on addressing the challenges of population aging and low fertility, Gong said that during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, Shanghai will promote a proactive approach to aging and advance healthy aging initiatives, while improving elderly care services through the development of an age-friendly society. The city will also aim to maintain an appropriate fertility level by fostering a fertility-friendly society and strengthening policy support for childbirth and child-rearing.The Shanghai-themed press briefing series on the launch of the 15th Five-Year Plan period has officially commenced. Officials from various municipal departments will be invited to brief the media on sector-specific plans covering economic and social development, public welfare and social security, as well as urban development and construction.