Legislators contribute to city building efforts

Nearly two-thirds of legislators from grassroots to national level in Shanghai said that high-end talent is a principal resource for Shanghai, according to a survey published on Wednesday.

Conducted by the Shanghai Municipal People's Congress, the survey polled more than 8,100 Shanghai-based legislators about their suggestions and opinions regarding the municipality's 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25).

With regard to the city's global resource allocation, legislators paid attention to the city's ability to cultivate, attract and retain talent, the financial market's opening up to the outside world, and the elevation of the economic levels of Shanghai-based regional headquarters of multinational companies.

Dai Liu, director of the financial and economic committee of the Shanghai Municipal People's Congress, said this year is a key period in the drafting and formation of national- and region-level plans for the next five years. He added that authorities have always solicited the opinions of the people when drafting a blueprint for the city's development.

A total of 1,390 written suggestions for the five-year plan regarding topics such as the city's financial function, pillar industries, the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta region, service for the elderly, healthcare reform, employment, education, and environmental protection, were submitted by the legislators.

Besides lawmakers, other people, including political advisors, scholars and experts from various backgrounds, representatives from enterprises and social institutions, have contributed ideas. Even teenagers are submitting ideas through the school branches of the Communist Youth League.

Shi Zheng, a city-level legislator in Shanghai, said that she has observed a rising awareness and interest from the public regarding topics related to the municipality's economic and social developments.

"Having more public participation in the city's development plans is important in the process of building Shanghai into an international city. It is also a sign of the government's improved ability of social governance," said Shi, who is also chairwoman of the worker's union at Shanghai Pudong Public Transport Co Ltd.