Hongqiao a vital element in regional development

By Tang Zhihao in Shanghai | China Daily | Updated: 2016-09-05 09:20

The Shanghai Hongqiao Central Business District, the gateway between Shanghai and the Yangtze River Delta region, will play a vital role in supporting the development of the Yangtze River Delta world-class city cluster, according to the CBD's administrative committee.

Established in 2009, Hongqiao CBD has been positioned as a modern service industry cluster, a new international trade platform, a gathering place for headquarters, trading institutions and economic organizations and a high-end business service platform for businesses in China.

This positioning means that the CBD will serve Shanghai's industrial upgrading and urban layout adjustments, provide strong support to the Yangtze River Delta region's industrial and economic development and help companies in the Yangtze River Delta region better seize opportunities on the world stage.

The Yangtze River Delta city cluster development plan, released by the central government in June, stated that China is aiming to build a world-class city cluster with global influence by 2030, with Shanghai set to play a key role in this process.

The new cluster comprises 26 cities, including Shanghai and parts of Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui provinces. Eight cities in Anhui are new members of the cluster.

After more than six years of development, the Hongqiao CBD has become a key platform that provides strong support for the development of the cities in the Yangtze River Delta region.

Thanks to its extensive transport network, the travel time by rail from Hongqiao CBD to Hangzhou is a mere 47 minutes, and the zone has become a popular destination for major companies to set up offices. More than 700 organizations, including Alibaba, Keyence and Grundfos have opened offices in the CBD.

Looking ahead, authorities said that the Hongqiao CBD will take on more responsibilities to support the Yangtze River Delta city cluster development plan.

"Hongqiao CBD will leverage three key functions: transportation, exhibitions and business, which integrate all the available resources to enhance supply capacity of production, business, knowledge and information services," said Min Shilin, executive deputy director of the Shanghai Hongqiao CBD Administrative Committee.