shanghai delegation holds plenary meeting to take advantage of momentum to accelerate construction of "five centers"

　　Shanghai Delegation Holds Plenary Meeting

　　Seize the Opportunity, Accelerate the Construction of "Five Centers"

　　Chen Jining and Gong Zheng Participate, Huang Lixin Presides, Hou Kai Listens to Opinions, 70 Media Outlets and 152 Journalists Attend

　　What Are the Practical Measures to Boost Consumption?

　　■ Especially in developing the debut economy, silver economy, digital consumption, self-indulgent consumption, etc., to enhance the quality of service consumption

　　■ Create integrated consumption scenarios, promote culture+, technology+, tourism+, commerce+, and continuously drive innovation in business models and scenario integration

　　How to Support Future Industries

　　■ Establish a strategic scientist committee that understands technology, industry, and investment; build a source matrix of "big institutes, big labs, big enterprises, big experts, big competitions"

　　■ Focus on areas such as brain-computer interfaces, brain-like intelligence, nuclear fusion, with city and district collaboration, tailored to local conditions, and gradient cultivation to create future industry clusters

　　What Are the Measures for Urban Governance?

　　■ Vigorously implement the "Artificial Intelligence+" initiative, creating a batch of digital intelligence factories, smart factories, intelligent factories

　　■ Promote the construction of intelligent sensing systems in urban transportation, water affairs, ecological environment, etc. This year, create a full industry chain robot matrix for water affairs

　　Strategic Support

　　■ Focus on expanding domestic demand, which is the strategic support for Shanghai's high-quality development

　　Direction and Mission

　　■ Accelerate the construction of "Five Centers," which is the main direction and important mission for Shanghai's high-quality development. We must fully promote the implementation of the central support for Shanghai to accelerate the construction of "Five Centers" opinions, continuously strengthen the four major functions of global resource allocation, technological innovation source, high-end industry leadership, and open hub gateway

　　Key Point

　　■ Cultivate and develop new quality productivity, which is the key point for Shanghai's high-quality development

　　The Only Way

　　■ Deeply implement high-level reform and opening-up, which is the only way for Shanghai's high-quality development

　　Fundamental Purpose

　　■ Continuously enhance people's well-being, which is the fundamental purpose of Shanghai's high-quality development

　　The Shanghai delegation of the 14th National People's Congress held a plenary meeting on the morning of March 6 to review the draft outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development, open to Chinese and foreign media. Party Secretary Chen Jining and Deputy Party Secretary and Mayor Gong Zheng participated in the review. Huang Lixin, Director of the Standing Committee of the Municipal People's Congress and head of the Shanghai delegation, presided over the meeting. Hou Kai, Party Secretary and Auditor General of the National Audit Office, attended to listen to the review opinions.

　　Vice Head of the Shanghai Delegation Chi Yaoyun participated in the review.

　　The plenary meeting began at 9 a.m. Just after 8 a.m., many Chinese and foreign journalists rushed to the venue to secure "advantageous positions," setting up rows of cameras in the media area. The meeting lasted about 2 hours, with 152 journalists from 70 media outlets attending, including 35 foreign media outlets such as People's Daily, Xinhua News Agency, China Central Television, Bloomberg, Reuters, TASS, Kyodo News, NHK, Handelsblatt, Swiss Radio and Television, Asahi Shimbun, and Singapore's Lianhe Zaobao.

　　After speeches by eight representatives including Wu Wei, Ding Kuiling, Lou Xiangping, Zhang Fan, Yin Hairong, Zhu Jiandi, Zhou Yanfang, and Zhang Yimin, the meeting entered the interactive session between Shanghai representatives and the media. Chinese and foreign journalists eagerly raised their hands seeking opportunities to ask questions. Topics such as the start of the "15th Five-Year Plan," the construction of offshore financial (economic) functional areas, the construction of international science and technology innovation centers, deep integration of culture, commerce, tourism, sports, and exhibitions, future industry development, infrastructure construction and operation guarantees for mega-cities, and the "Beautiful China Pilot Zone" in the Yangtze River Delta became the focus of questions.

　　Ensure a Good Start for the "15th Five-Year Plan"

　　People's Daily: This year marks the beginning of the "15th Five-Year Plan." How will Shanghai anchor its long-term goals for 2035, strengthen the core functions of the "Five Centers," cultivate new quality productivity, deepen reform and opening-up, and ensure and improve people's livelihood to achieve a "good start" for the "15th Five-Year Plan"?

　　Representative Gong Zheng: According to the strategic blueprint of General Secretary Xi Jinping, Shanghai aims to basically become a socialist modern international metropolis with global influence by 2035. The "15th Five-Year Plan" period is a comprehensive effort period to seize the opportunity and a critical period for transformation and upgrading. A good start is half the success. We must thoroughly implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech during his inspection of Shanghai, focusing on promoting high-quality development, being pragmatic and diligent, and ensuring a good start for the "15th Five-Year Plan."

　　Firstly, focus on expanding domestic demand, which is the strategic support for Shanghai's high-quality development. We must strengthen the leading role of domestic demand, strive to achieve qualitative improvement and reasonable growth in the economy, and contribute to national development. We must deeply implement special actions to boost consumption, accelerate the construction of an international consumption center city, and continuously amplify the integration effect of culture, commerce, tourism, sports, and exhibitions. We must promote high-quality "two major" constructions to further stimulate the vitality of private investment. At the same time, we must focus on stabilizing foreign trade and foreign investment to better facilitate domestic and international dual circulation.

　　Secondly, accelerate the construction of "Five Centers," which is the main direction and important mission for Shanghai's high-quality development. We must fully promote the implementation of the central support for Shanghai to accelerate the construction of "Five Centers" opinions, continuously strengthen the four major functions of global resource allocation, technological innovation source, high-end industry leadership, and open hub gateway. Specifically, this means strengthening functional platforms, gathering high-energy entities, and attracting high-level talents to accelerate the enhancement of the international economic center's status, increase the competitiveness and influence of the international financial center, promote the quality upgrade of the international trade center, enhance the resource allocation capacity of the international shipping center, and strengthen the source function of the international science and technology innovation center.

　　Thirdly, cultivate and develop new quality productivity, which is the key point for Shanghai's high-quality development. We must promote deep integration of technological innovation and industrial innovation. We must strengthen original innovation and key core technology breakthroughs, deeply advance the construction of the basic research pilot zone, strengthen the position of enterprises as the main body of technological innovation, and strive to fill the shortcomings of key industrial chain supply chains. We must accelerate the transformation and industrialization of scientific and technological achievements, focus on the entire process of innovation, and integrate the construction of high-quality incubators, pilot platforms, and specialized technology transfer institutions. We must also accelerate industrial upgrading and build a modern industrial system with advanced manufacturing as the backbone.

　　Fourthly, deeply implement high-level reform and opening-up, which is the only way for Shanghai's high-quality development. We must adhere to pioneering trials, implement the "4+1" major strategic tasks, and better test systems, measure pressure, and explore new paths for the country. "4" refers to the high-quality construction of the Pudong leading area, the free trade pilot zone and Lingang new area, the Hongqiao international open hub, and the Oriental hub international business cooperation area. "1" refers to deeply promoting higher-quality integrated development in the Yangtze River Delta, especially in cooperation with Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui provinces, to promote the construction of the Shanghai (Yangtze River Delta) international science and technology innovation center and contribute more to building a strong science and technology country.

　　Fifthly, continuously enhance people's well-being, which is the fundamental purpose of Shanghai's high-quality development. We must focus on the urgent needs and concerns of the people, and strive to address shortcomings and strengthen weak areas in the field of people's livelihood. This year marks the 40th anniversary of Shanghai's efforts to do practical things for the people. The municipal party committee and government have clarified a new round of 18 people's livelihood projects, arranging 32 annual practical projects for the people in ten areas. We must solidly promote and implement them to continuously enhance the people's sense of gain, happiness, and security.

　　Promote Cross-Border Finance and Offshore Finance Development

　　Phoenix Satellite TV: In recent years, Shanghai has done a lot of work in cross-border finance and offshore finance. The "15th Five-Year Plan" outline of Shanghai also proposes the idea of exploring the construction of offshore financial (economic) functional areas. Can you introduce the progress and what are the considerations for the next steps?

　　Representative Wu Wei: The central "15th Five-Year Plan" proposal suggests accelerating the construction of Shanghai International Financial Center. Promoting cross-border finance and offshore finance development is an important part of the construction of Shanghai International Financial Center and an important measure for Shanghai to serve enterprises "going global." Since 2025, we have strengthened institutional design and deepened practical exploration under the central deployment and with strong support from central financial management departments, promoting coordinated development of cross-border finance and offshore finance, achieving positive results.

　　In terms of cross-border finance, in April 2025, the "Shanghai International Financial Center Further Enhancing Cross-Border Financial Service Facilitation Action Plan" was released. Currently, 90% of the 70 tasks have been implemented. Through "Four Plus," we further meet enterprises' needs in payment settlement, financing services, exchange rate risk management, and insurance protection, initially achieving full-process optimization and systematic integration of financial services. First, promote "bank front-end business optimization + back-end due diligence exemption." Fully implement new foreign exchange business regulations, support banks in optimizing processes and system reconstruction, and provide differentiated services. Pilot foreign exchange business appeal review mechanism, support financial institutions in due diligence exemption. Second, strengthen "foreign exchange risk management + promote local currency priority use." Innovate exchange rate risk management products, expand "first-time account holders," and launch RMB foreign exchange business in the free trade zone. Implement the "local currency priority" concept, establish a RMB cross-border usage evaluation mechanism for key state-owned enterprises in our city. In 2025, the CIPS system direct participant banks first covered Africa, the Middle East, and other regions. Third, promote "insurance deep coverage + precise reinsurance support." Explore risk co-insurance mechanisms for industries such as new energy vehicles and domestic aircraft, increase the maximum compensation ratio for credit insurance rejection risk to 80%. Build a complete reinsurance "inbound + outbound + brokerage" business model. Fourth, deepen "comprehensive service for enterprise groups + specialized service for SMEs." Promote the establishment of global syndicated loan centers (free trade headquarters) by banks such as Bank of China and Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, implement high-version cross-border company integrated currency pool pilot. Innovatively carry out cross-border trade refinancing, issuing over 6.5 billion yuan.

　　While promoting cross-border finance, Shanghai further focuses on the new trend of global business operations of Chinese enterprises, accelerates the alignment with international high-standard trade rules, and advances offshore business exploration: First, systematically plan the offshore financial framework. Propose the overall plan of offshore finance "1+2+2+N+1," clarifying 9 categories of application scenarios. Sign the "Shanghai-Hong Kong International Financial Center Collaborative Development Action Plan" with the Hong Kong Treasury Bureau. Second, conduct pioneering trials with small breakthroughs. Explore offshore financial business in areas such as Lingang New Area, launch comprehensive reform pilot for offshore trade financial services, and provide more competitive financial services. Follow the principle of "both ends abroad" and international common rule standards, formulate and implement free trade offshore bond business rules and Pudong New Area regulations, promoting the standardized development of free trade offshore bonds.

　　Encourage Scientists to Brave the "No Man's Land"

　　Xinhua News Agency: Last year, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized during his inspection of Shanghai that efforts should be made to accelerate the construction of a globally influential science and technology innovation highland. As one of the focal points of Shanghai's construction of an international science and technology innovation center, what role can universities play?

　　Representative Jin Li: Accelerating the construction of a globally influential science and technology innovation highland is the positioning requirement of General Secretary Xi Jinping for Shanghai. During the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, the country has clearly defined the construction scope of Shanghai International Science and Technology Innovation Center, further expanding the source of science and technology innovation in the Yangtze River Delta. As educators and science and technology workers in Shanghai, we feel honored.

　　Shanghai has also clearly proposed that during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, the construction of Shanghai International Science and Technology Innovation Center will mainly be driven by "four wheels." First, strengthen the construction of strategic science and technology forces, enhance talent innovation and key core technology breakthroughs. Second, promote the efficient transformation of science and technology innovation achievements, and deeply integrate science and technology innovation with industrial innovation. Third, integrate the development of education, science, and technology talents. Fourth, optimize the functional layout of the science and technology innovation center. Universities are the intersection of science as the first productive force, talent as the first resource, and innovation as the first driving force, and should become the source, playing an irreplaceable important role in the process of building Shanghai International Science and Technology Innovation Center.

　　Currently, Fudan University is accelerating the promotion of a virtuous cycle of independent innovation in science and technology and independent talent cultivation, fostering cooperative innovation talents, and stimulating stronger innovation momentum, hoping to contribute to Shanghai's construction of an international innovation center. First, break boundaries through interdisciplinary integration. Guided by national major strategic needs, refine five strategic orientations, 15 strategic fields, and 100 key directions to achieve interdisciplinary integration and make boundary-breaking possible. Second, break circles through scientific intelligence. We will empower deep collaboration between Shanghai Artificial Intelligence Development Center and Shanghai Innovation Academy and research institutions and leading technology enterprises in the industry, comprehensively layout AI infrastructure, core technology, AI4S, AI4SS, allowing the three elements of "algorithm, computing power, data" in scientific research to iterate in an open cycle, promoting scientific intelligence integration to break circles and enhance innovation levels. Third, break the deadlock through deepening reform. To build a science and technology innovation center, we must integrate and systematize previously scattered innovation elements. Build a special zone for basic research, cancel short-term assessments, support scientists in conducting long-cycle, high-risk original research, encourage scientists to brave the "no man's land," and produce more world-leading original achievements in the "first kilometer."

　　Promote Deep Integration of Culture, Commerce, Tourism, Sports, and Exhibitions

　　First Financial: Shanghai is accelerating the construction of an international consumption center city, and boosting consumption is an important task at present. How will new consumption scenarios be cultivated in the future to activate urban consumption vitality? What practical measures will be taken for deep integration of culture, commerce, tourism, sports, and exhibitions?

　　Representative Quan Heng: Building an international consumption center city has significant strategic and practical significance for promoting consumption and expanding domestic demand. During the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, Shanghai will accelerate the construction of an international consumption center city, starting from optimizing the implementation of old-for-new consumption goods, further expanding service consumption, accelerating the release of inbound consumption potential, and carefully organizing activities such as the "Five-Five Shopping Festival" to promote deep integration of culture, commerce, tourism, sports, and exhibitions, and accelerate the construction of an international consumption center city to boost consumption more vigorously.

　　First, Shanghai always insists on promoting and adapting to the new trend of consumption structure transformation and upgrading, focusing on cultivating new consumption scenarios, new business models, and experiential consumption, digital consumption, and other linked integrations. Establish a working group to organize and promote the deep integration of culture, commerce, tourism, sports, and exhibitions, achieving significant results. Last year, Shanghai held 3,715 large-scale events, receiving 44.14 million spectators and tourists; created the international consumption season and the first stop for international inbound tourism, receiving 9.36 million inbound tourists throughout the year; launched the "Celebrate New Year in Shanghai" series of activities during the Year of the Horse Spring Festival, attracting tourists with consumption activities and new festival scenes such as Spring Festival concerts and Yuyuan Lantern Festival, becoming the second-largest domestic destination city for Spring Festival tourism.

　　Second, Shanghai will continue to focus on "culture + technology + economy": continuously increase the quality and efficiency of the service economy, continuously meet new demands for service consumption, especially in developing debut economy, silver economy, digital consumption, self-indulgent consumption, etc., to enhance the quality of service consumption. Create integrated consumption scenarios, promote culture+, technology+, tourism+, commerce+, combined with new technologies brought by high technology, adapt to the new trend of consumption structure transformation and upgrading, and continuously drive innovation in business models and scenario integration.

　　Through the integration of culture, commerce, tourism, sports, and exhibitions, Shanghai will be transformed into a city of fashion and consumption experience: with seasonal characteristics, monthly themes, weekly highlights, daily activities, scenes everywhere, and surprises at all times.

　　Focus on "Future Cognition," "Future Talent," "Future Paradigm"

　　China Central Television: The central "15th Five-Year Plan" proposal suggests forward-looking layout of future industries. Shanghai has many innovative measures in promoting future industry development. How does Shanghai use state capital investment to support future industry development?

　　Representative Yuan Guohua: Shanghai attaches great importance to future industry development and has taken the lead in systematic layout.

In the field of future industries, we focus on three main directions: "future cognition," "future talent," and "future paradigm." First, we focus on "future cognition," exploring the establishment of interdisciplinary communication platforms, inviting top global strategic scientists and industry leaders, striving to find frontier topics and entrepreneurial goals. Second, we focus on "future talent," exploring the creation of a future talent discovery mechanism through building a community-based innovation ecosystem, relying on artificial intelligence. Third, we focus on "future paradigm," exploring new paradigms of innovation that belong to the future.

We will create a "connector" for scientists, entrepreneurs, investors, and more innovative elements through "industrial investment + ecosystem building," further accelerating the emergence of disruptive innovation. First is industrial investment practice. We have established a future industry fund with a total scale of 15 billion yuan, building an open empowerment platform for disruptive innovation incubation and early investment, forming a strategic scientist committee that "understands technology, industry, and investment," focusing on six key future industry tracks, selecting a batch of high-quality sub-funds dedicated to the early cultivation and incubation of disruptive technologies, and completing multiple frontier track investment layouts. Second is ecosystem building practice. We will construct a "matrix of large institutes, large enterprises, large competitions," actively capturing innovation signal sources. The Shanghai Qiyuan State-owned Innovation Source Public Welfare Foundation has been established, with the first batch of 16 municipal state-owned enterprises jointly contributing 92 million yuan, focusing on supporting young people in conducting high-risk, high-value basic research and concept verification. We initiated the establishment of the "Shanghai Future Starting Point Community" to help entrepreneurs obtain financing and foster more disruptive cognition through exchanges and collisions in cross-border, diverse communities. Focusing on fields such as brain-computer interfaces, brain-like intelligence, and nuclear fusion, the city and district will work together, adapting to local conditions, and gradually cultivating future industry clusters, promoting deep links between frontier technologies, high-quality projects, and patient capital, and stimulating innovation vitality.

Activating the city's capillaries, installing a smart brain

Shangguan News: During the National Two Sessions, representatives are actively discussing the relevant content of the "15th Five-Year Plan" outline. The Shanghai "15th Five-Year Plan" outline also proposes to accelerate the construction of a modern infrastructure system, fully build an ecologically livable beautiful Shanghai, and steadily improve the modernization level of super-large city governance. Shanghai is a large city with a large population, making city governance challenging. I would like to ask the representatives to discuss suggestions and measures on how to do a good job in the construction and operation guarantee of super-large city infrastructure.

Representative Hang Yingwei: Shanghai is a large city with a large population and high density, making governance very challenging. My experience is that the key to doing a good job in the construction and orderly operation of super-large city infrastructure is to base it on the needs of the city, meet the expectations of citizens, focus on strengthening city functions, and achieve level improvement, with the goal of achieving high-quality and connotative development of the city.

First, we need to activate the capillaries. We must accelerate the transition from a construction system to an operational system, guided by the scientific, safe, and efficient operation of the city, focusing on the breakpoints, blockages, and weaknesses in operational practice, clearing joints, activating circulation, and optimizing efficiency. For example, at the end of last year, we promoted the completion and opening of the Hu-Jia-Jia-Min connection line, which, although only 1 kilometer long, effectively linked two urban expressways, playing a good role in improving regional traffic and commuting efficiency.

Second, we need to install a smart brain. We must actively embrace the era of artificial intelligence, deeply empowering the construction and operation of smart cities with new technologies, new models, and new business forms of artificial intelligence. We will vigorously implement the "Artificial Intelligence+" action, create a batch of digital intelligence factories, smart factories, and intelligent factories, explore the promotion and application of large models, and promote the construction of intelligent perception systems in fields such as urban transportation, water affairs, and ecological environment, focusing on improving the level of city service and resilience guarantee. This year, we will build a full-industry chain robot matrix for water affairs.

Third, we need to focus on convenience for the people. The construction and operation of the city are connected to the orderly operation of the city on one end and the well-being of the people on the other. Many major infrastructure constructions are carried out in built-up areas, "making a stage in a snail shell." Engineering construction must be integrated into social management and urban governance, "leaving the difficulties to ourselves and the convenience to the citizens." Urban renewal must pay more attention to citizen convenience. The practice of the "15-minute living circle" in Shanghai is to make the city more livable and habitable. We will build this modern people's city of Shanghai with meticulous care, patience, and excellence.

Building the Yangtze River Delta "Beautiful China Pilot Zone"

Jiemian Financial News Agency: The national "15th Five-Year Plan" outline has made a series of new deployments for the construction of Beautiful China. At the end of last year, the State Council agreed to start building "Beautiful China Pilot Zones" in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, Yangtze River Delta, and Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao regions. As China's largest economic center city, how to balance high-level protection and high-quality development is an important proposition during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period. What are Shanghai's considerations and arrangements in building the Yangtze River Delta "Beautiful China Pilot Zone"?

Representative Li Jun: Shanghai closely follows the national deployment, fully building an ecologically livable beautiful Shanghai, and has clarified the city's path of striving for high-quality development and high-level protection. We will fully benchmark the national and Shanghai "15th Five-Year Plan" outlines, promote the construction of the Chongming world-class ecological island with high standards, strive to be a pioneer and leader in ecological civilization construction, and work hard to create a national ecological civilization brand and a benchmark for green development in the Yangtze River.

First, we need to consolidate the ecological foundation, making the green background more distinct. At the governance level, we must accelerate the filling of gaps in environmental infrastructure, ensuring that key ecological indicators such as water, soil, forest, air, and beaches always maintain the best in Shanghai. At the legal level, guided by the decision of the Municipal People's Congress "On Promoting and Guaranteeing the Construction of the Chongming World-Class Ecological Island," we will optimize and improve regulations and policies on ecological agriculture, green transportation, and wetland protection. At the technological level, we will strengthen the empowerment of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, striving to achieve all-weather, all-element, and full-process monitoring, warning, protection, and governance of the ecological environment.

Second, we need to highlight ecological value. We will take the national ecological product value realization mechanism pilot as an opportunity to create more practical cases of "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets." We will optimize the quality of various ecological elements, improve and perfect the GEP accounting standard system; coordinate the spatial layout and three-dimensional composite utilization of natural resources, and push high-quality agricultural products nurtured by high-quality soil and water sources to broader markets; make good use of the unique resource endowments such as the Dongtan World Natural Heritage.

Third, we need to deepen ecological co-construction. We will further strengthen strategic coordination, unswervingly promote the ten-year fishing ban in the Yangtze River and the joint prevention and control of the ecological environment at the Yangtze River Estuary. We will pay more attention to cultural shaping, vigorously promote the mainstream values of ecological civilization, and let green and low-carbon lifestyles become customary. We will continue to deepen cooperation and exchanges, build international green cooperation bridges, and make Chongming an important showcase window for the achievements of building a beautiful Shanghai and a beautiful China.