A vast land where regular 'miracles' come from persistent innovation
The Pudong New Area covers 1,210 square kilometers, oversees 12 communities and 24 towns, and has a population of 5.68 million.
The vast land in the east of Shanghai is where miracles generate all the time. The reason for them is quite simple – persistent innovation.
The central government requires Pudong to become the benchmark for independent innovation and development, a manifest destiny to lead the way in China's scientific and technological innovation.
Hence, Pudong provides its answer in four aspects, according to the new area's science, technology and economy commission.
Firstly, to consolidate fundamental research. At present, there are 10 large scientific facilities built and under construction in Pudong, and they are key platforms for fundamental research.
Major national scientific and technological infrastructure will help Pudong build a leading innovation group driven by strategic national forces, influential innovation, breakthroughs in key areas, research in information technology, material science, space technology, life and environmental science, and efforts to produce a number of world-class scientific discoveries.
Secondly, to become the destination of all sorts of innovations and entrepreneurship. Pudong will optimize the support and cultivation of various scientific and technological innovators, introduce first-class universities and institutes, as well as top-notch talent at home and abroad, to set up research institutions and attract foreign- funded R&D centers and innovation centers of leading enterprises from around the world.
Thirdly, to optimize the ecosystem of innovation and entrepreneurship. Pudong will improve the construction of four systems, including a full life cycle innovation incubation system, a full chain science and technology public service system, an all-round intellectual property protection system and a full coverage science and technology investment and financing system, to empower innovation in the new area.
Fourthly, to build a global open innovation hub. Pudong will take the lead in organizing and actively participating in international big science programs, expand international scientific and technological innovation cooperation channels around key technologies in public health, disease prevention and control, key industries and other fields, and promote the construction of Sino foreign joint research centers, laboratories and technology centers.
Meanwhile, it will make good use of major communication and matching platforms, continue to enhance the international influence of the world's top scientists' forum and Pujiang Innovation Forum, and build a cooperation mechanism for international and domestic scientific and technological innovation and development.
During the 13th Five Year Plan period (2015-2020), Pudong initially formed a modern industrial system with six pillar industries – homemade central processing unit, innovative medicine, smart manufacturing, large aircraft, future cars and data ports.
The new area's industrial output exceeded 1 trillion yuan (US$154.6 billion) last year, a leap in scale, functional and technological levels.
In the first half of this year, the total output of its enterprises with annual income exceeding 20 million yuan reached 551.3 billion yuan, an increase of 19.1 percent year on year.
In the next stage, with the goal of building a world-class industrial cluster, Pudong will accelerate the construction of a modern and open industrial system driven by innovation, led by toppers, integrated with empowerment and developed through agglomeration.
At the same time, Pudong will turn electronic information manufacturing, automation manufacturing and complete equipment manufacturing into three industries valued at 100 billion yuan and cultivate several emerging industry clusters, such as large cruise ships, new materials and online new economy.
Pudong will accelerate the cultivation and introduction of leading enterprises with high technology and high growth, gather a number of key supportive enterprises in the industrial ecosystem, and build its advantages in the whole industrial chain with international competitiveness.
