Fast-tracking hub ambitions

Shanghai government unveils series of measures to boost the city's development into an international exhibition platform, Wang Hongyi reports.

Shanghai plans to accelerate its development into an international exhibition city by 2020.

By that year, a well-developed promotional system will ensure that the city has become an international exhibition center with mature market operating mechanisms, vigorous exhibition enterprises and an important industry power on the global stage, according to Shang Yuying, director of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce.

"In the next step, we will firmly follow the latest development trends in the international exhibition industry, and make all efforts to enhance the necessary functions of an international exhibition city with a series of measures," Shang said.

According to the commission, the city will optimize the policy and legal environment for the development of the exhibition industry. In addition to establishing fair and open market rules and strengthening supervision, the city will unify departments to develop related public policies and develop orderly market competition. It will also formulate industry standards that conform to international requirements and establish an exhibition credit system.

The city will also continue to optimize the industrial layout and build key exhibition industry development areas. It will support the city's Pudong and Qingpu districts by constructing facilities and agglomerating aspects of the sector. It will also encourage the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai) (NECC), the Shanghai New International Expo Center (SNIEC) and other big brand exhibition venues so they can play leading roles in the sector.

Besides that, mid-sized exhibition venues will be encouraged to hold more professional exhibitions while smaller venues will be encouraged to diversify.

The city will speed up the exhibition sector's joint development with other industries, such as business, tourism, culture and sports.

Shang said the city will constantly improve its public services.

"The development experience of famous international exhibition cities shows that the development of the industry needs governments to provide efficient and convenient public services," she said.

"Shanghai will continue to improve the convenience level of administrative examinations and approval process, and improve the efficiency of administrative services," she added.

In 2015, 851 exhibitions were held in Shanghai with exhibition areas reaching 15.13 million square meters, 88.2 percent greater than in 2010.

The quantity and size of exhibition areas in Shanghai rank first across the country, according to the commission.

So far, the city has 13 professional exhibition venues, which can provide 1 million sq m of exhibition space. The city is also the only one in the country which has two super-large exhibition venues with areas exceeding 200,000 sq m. In 2015, the city held 292 international exhibitions, with exhibition areas of 11.24 million sq m.

The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry (UFI) will hold the 83rd UFI Congress in Shanghai from November 9 to 12. Founded in Milan, Italy, in 1925, UFI has around 700 member organizations in more than 80 countries and regions. It also provides authorization to more than 900 high-level international fairs. This year's UFI Congress will provide a series of activities. International exhibition organizers and industry experts will discuss strategies to tackle challenges such as the global economic downturn, the disruptive effects of the internet industry and political uncertainty in some major economies.

"This is a good opportunity for Shanghai to show its exhibition strengths," Shang said. "Meanwhile, it will help increase Shanghai's influence in global exhibition circles."

"It will also help the city gain experience in advanced international management and development, promote the opening-up of the city's exhibition industry and international cooperation and exchanges."

"China is among the countries with the most exciting and dynamic exhibition industry," said Kai Hattendorf, managing director of UFI, noting that he has seen great changes and developments in the Chinese exhibition market.

"There are nearly 100 UFI members on the Chinese mainland, and UFI pays close attention to the needs and requirements of our members," he said.

Contact the writer at wanghongyi@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 11/09/2016 page15)