Shanghai highlights plans for free trade port and science center

Shanghai is planning construction of a free trade port and striving to become a scientific innovation center with global influence, the city’s Communist Party of China chief Han Zheng has said.

The port, based on the city’s pilot free trade zone, has entered the planning stage and will be implemented after approval from central government, Han, Secretary of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee, said at a press conference in Beijing during the ongoing 19th CPC National Congress.

The government approved a plan in May to comprehensively expand the opening-up of the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone (FTZ).

Han said that marked the "3.0 version" of the FTZ following its establishment in 2013 and the first growth in its opening-up in 2015.

"Through years of reform, there have been over 100 innovative institutions promoted nationwide," he said.

The Ministry of Commerce has announced the launch of seven new free trade zones, bringing the FTZ total to 11 in the country.

As China’s first FTZ, Shanghai has gained experience that will inform the development of other zones.

Another major task for Shanghai is to accelerate the development of a scientific innovation center with "global influence," Shanghai Mayor Ying Yong told reporters.

"The municipal government has decided to form a central basic framework of the scientific innovation center by 2020 and form its core function by 2030," Ying said.

As a core part of the plan, the metropolis will establish the Zhangjiang Comprehensive National Scientific Center in the Pudong New Area, which will involve a range of cutting-edge scientific facilities as well as world-leading research institutes and innovation groups, the mayor said.

To achieve that goal, Shanghai has planned a Zhangjiang Science City covering 94 square kilometers, which aims to be on a par with California’s Silicon Valley, Singapore’s One North science park and Japan’s Tsukuba scientific town, according to the Shanghai Planning, Land and Resources Administration.

Ying said the city government has issued a set of guidelines to support foreign research and development centers based in Shanghai to play their part in the city’s scientific innovation center ambitions.

More policies will be issued to create a "highland for professionals" as well as serve the scientific innovation center, Ying added.

"Shanghai is in more urgent need of talent than in any other period," he said.

At present, more than 610 global or regional headquarters of multinational companies have been set up in Shanghai along with over 418 research and development centers, according to the government.

Reporters were also told by Han that the city banned close family members of senior government officials from running businesses in a pilot regulation launched in May 2015 ahead of a nationwide rollout.

Regular investigations will be launched to check at least 20 percent of local officials, Han said.

(CGTN)