Central media front page: Looking at Shanghai's high-quality development through the "semi annual report" of the economy | Shanghai | Looking at Shanghai

In the first half of this year, Shanghai achieved a regional GDP of 2139 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 9.7%, and its economic output continued to maintain the top position among cities in the country.

Shanghai is a window for the world to observe the Chinese economy. With the overall recovery of the economy, Shanghai also recognizes that the current external situation is more severe and complex, and the foundation for economic recovery is not yet solid. Achieving the annual development goals requires even more arduous efforts.

In terms of economy, we need to "compete", in terms of reform, we need to "break through", and in order to truly improve people's livelihoods, we need to "work hard" and anchor high-quality development without relaxation. These "three strengths" of Shanghai are also a reflection of China's economic resilience and vitality.

Grasping the Economy: No Way Without Competition

"Ten thousand meter warehouse", "cement silo", "kiln tail tower"... In the hinterland of Zhangjiang Science City in Pudong New Area, there is a already discontinued Zhangjiang cement plant. Recently, the renovation project of Zhangjiang Cement Plant with a total investment of over 6.7 billion yuan has officially begun. These industrial heritage buildings will transform into research and development centers up to 100 meters high and 20 multi story standalone enterprise research and development headquarters, releasing 440000 square meters of industrial space for the development of the new economy.

Yuan Tao, Chairman of Zhangjiang Group, introduced that in recent years, various characteristic industrial parks, including the Zhangjiang Cement Plant project, have sprung up like mushrooms in the hot land of Science City. Zhangjiang Artificial Intelligence Island, Zhangjiang Innovative Pharmaceutical Industry Base, Zhangjiang Robot Valley, and others have successively been selected for the list of Shanghai municipal characteristic industrial parks, injecting new vitality into Zhangjiang's industrial and innovative ecology.

Zhangjiang's progress is a microcosm of Shanghai's development. On the basis of "more than half of the time and more than half of the tasks completed", some economic indicators in Shanghai in the first half of the year are commendable:

In the first half of the year, the total output value of strategic emerging industries in Shanghai reached 838.547 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 14.6%, with a growth rate 2.8 percentage points faster than the total output value of industrial enterprises above designated size.

In the first half of the year, Shanghai Port's foreign trade "new three samples" represented by electric passenger vehicles, solar cells, and lithium batteries exported 247.8 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 74.7%, and the export value accounted for 46.4% of the national total.

Achievements are hard won and require a clear understanding. In the first half of the year, the year-on-year growth rate of Shanghai's main indicators was relatively fast, which not only reflects the growth resilience and development vitality under the guidance of quality and efficiency, but also has the influence of a low base in the same period last year. To promote high-quality development, Shanghai needs to continue to make efforts.

As the district with the largest economic output in Shanghai, Zhu Zhisong, member of the Standing Committee of the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee and Secretary of the Pudong New Area Party Committee, said that Pudong's economic output accounts for 35.9% of Shanghai's total, and such a large volume still needs to maintain faster growth than the entire city, "not competing is not enough.". New technologies and models are emerging endlessly, and the time from the rise to the establishment of new fields and tracks is getting shorter and shorter. Opportunities are fleeting, and it's impossible not to compete.

We will fully promote the implementation of major national strategies, strive to build a leading area for socialist modernization in Pudong, accelerate the high-quality integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta, and deepen the construction of the Shanghai Pilot Free Trade Zone and the Lingang New Area

The word "pin" has become a common understanding and conscious action of the whole city of Shanghai to promote economic development.

Promoting reform: opening up new opportunities in the face of challenges

"In law enforcement inspections, many scientific research units and leading enterprises have reported that their organizational and mobilization capabilities are not strong enough when carrying out key core technology research. How to improve next?" Recently, in a special inquiry organized by the Shanghai Municipal People's Congress, a representative of the People's Congress raised such a question.

Shanghai Municipal Commission of Science and Technology Director Luo Dajin stated that tackling core technologies is of utmost importance in scientific and technological innovation. In 2022, the proportion of research and development expenditure to GDP in Shanghai's society will increase to around 4.2%, and institutional and mechanism reforms such as unveiling rankings and horse racing will be implemented. "How to comprehensively deepen and expand from point to surface, and form a multi-level market continuity mechanism, requires long-term efforts."

The fundamental path for Shanghai to promote high-quality development is to firmly embrace reform, follow the path of opening up, and play the role of innovation.

The Shanghai Free Trade Zone and the Lingang New Area are highlands of reform and opening up. To produce any product, it is necessary to measure these "eyes". At the end of July this year, the "invisible champion" in the global precision fluid measurement field and the German family owned company Prominent Group announced that its largest single investment in history has officially landed in Shanghai Lingang.

What made the Chairman of Prominent Company, Duan Yingze, sigh is that the land transaction for this project was completed on July 21st, and in just 7 days, the construction permit was obtained to officially start construction, truly achieving the goal of "starting construction immediately after obtaining the land". The "port speed" created by Tesla projects, which includes starting construction, completion, production, and listing in the same year, has gradually become normalized.

As a high-level experimental field for China's opening-up to the outside world, the Lingang New Area has achieved an average annual growth rate of 21.2% in regional GDP and 58.7% in actual foreign investment in the past four years. Including Lingang, in the first half of this year, Shanghai had 922 regional headquarters and 544 foreign-funded research and development centers, respectively, ranking first among cities in the country in both indicators.

The business environment is a key area of reform. Starting from March 1st this year, Shanghai has launched the implementation of market entities replacing proof of illegal records with dedicated credit reports. Replacing a stack of proofs with a report can help businesses focus more on business development.

"From learning how to open, to selecting the time range and field to apply online, receiving a specialized credit report automatically generated by the system in less than half an hour is very efficient!" exclaimed the head of the testing department of a genetic medicine company in Shanghai.

As of June 29th, various market entities in Shanghai have issued 6677 special credit reports, which can replace more than 117000 certificates of illegal records, effectively reducing the burden of multi-party coordination and round-trip issuance of certificates by market entities.

Promote the upgrading of the functions of the "Five Centers", carry out comprehensive reform pilot projects in Pudong, promote high-level and all-round institutional opening up of the Free Trade Zone and Lingang New Area, enhance the level of the Hongqiao International Open Hub, accelerate the creation of the "Silk Road E-commerce" cooperation pilot zone, and build a national service trade innovation development demonstration zone - deepening high-level reform and opening up. Shanghai has already identified this year's "4+2" key tasks.

The plenary session of the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee proposed that in specific practice, the logic of technology, market, and governance should be organically unified, and the overall effectiveness of reform and opening up should be continuously amplified.

Protecting People's Livelihoods: Diligently Using Emotions, Truly Grasping Practical Efforts

On the southeast side of Shanghai Railway Station, on the north bank of Suzhou, under the flowing north-south elevated road, there is a multi story residential building with red roofs and white walls.

This is the Tanggua Lane located in Jing'an District. From the "rolling earth dragon" where refugees lived before liberation, to the first five story worker's new village in Shanghai after the founding of the People's Republic of China, and then to the addition of floors, leveling and slope improvement after the reform and opening up, as well as the recent "beautiful home" renovation... In the tide of the times, the Tanggua Lane has been constantly being renovated and updated.

Now, Fangua Lane is beginning to usher in its fourth "rebirth": as one of the largest small beam and thin plate renovation projects in Shanghai this year, Fangua Lane has achieved 100% signing of contracts among residents to rebuild the original site, and has started a two month relocation period.

"Today is a good day!" In mid July, the Potato Melon Lane held a moving ceremony in a joyful atmosphere. 71 year old resident Lao Zhou and his wife got on the moving car and waved goodbye to the street neighborhood committee officials. In three and a half years, the elevator room that only uses kitchen and bathroom, the underground garage that separates people and vehicles, and the 9000 square meter public supporting building will welcome back to their old neighbors and embrace a new life together.

Old renovation is not only a livelihood project, but also a popular project. In 2022, the renovation of buildings below Grade II in Shanghai center will be fully completed, and the renovation of "two old buildings and one village" will start. Shanghai has set a goal: by 2023, it plans to complete the installation of 3000 elevators for existing multi story residential buildings, sporadic renovation of 120000 square meters of old housing, and the renovation of 280000 square meters of old housing. It will also launch 10 urban village renovation projects.

One elderly and one young are the key to ensuring people's livelihood. The Xuhui Binjiang Party and Mass Service Center recently opened a "Binjiang Citizen Canteen". The 9 yuan scallion grilled pork ribs, the 3 yuan daily special, and the 16 yuan three yellow chicken... By around 5 pm in the evening, this citizen cafeteria was already bustling with people. Tasting affordable and delicious food, enjoying the river view through glass doors and windows, has become a daily routine for nearby residents.

"Initially, breakfast was served at 7:30 pm, but many residents who came to exercise wanted the time to be moved forward, so it was adjusted to 7:00 pm." Xia Rui, the person in charge of the Xuhui Binjiang Party and Mass Service Center, said that similar detailed adjustments helped Binjiang accelerate the improvement of its "15 minute community living circle.".

Urban renewal, employment for college students, elderly care services, park and green space construction, urban safety, and other related issues related to a better life for the people have all been included in the development plans and task lists of various district governments in Shanghai.

For Shanghai, high-quality development is not just an economic requirement, but a fundamental adherence to all aspects of economic and social development. Take on the spirit of hard work, adventure, and drive, and go all out to sprint towards the second half. The new picture of high-quality development in Shanghai is slowly unfolding.