Shanghai seeks to build 'brand economy'
Zhou Bo (right), executive vice mayor of Shanghai, discusses building local brands on a radio program today.
Shanghai aims to revive time-honored brands and forge new ones in manufacturing and innovation, with the government playing a supporting role, executive vice mayor Zhou Bo said yesterday.
The government needs to create a sound business environment and drive reforms in state-owned sectors as Shanghai embarks on a path to build a “brand economy” to help the city's economic upgrading.
“The government is not almighty, neigh can it do everything,” Zhou said on a radio program. “What the government can do is to build an environment. Efforts need to be made by various parties.”
In building a sound business environment the government needs to enhance protection of intellectual properties and crack down on fake products, Zhou said.
The government encourages innovation in time-honored brands that are mostly run by state-owned companies, and supports development of new brands in the auto, cultural innovation, and technology sectors.
“The government will neither sit back and let time-honored brands die nor directly interfere to create new brands in building Shanghai's 'brand economy,'” Zhou said.
