Hongkou dedicated to openness
Praised as “the birthplace of Shanghai culture and the gathering hall of historical celebrities” by Chinese President Xi Jinping, Hongkou District was one of the earliest opening-up areas in China. The history of Hongkou can be traced to the opening of Shanghai’s port.
Boasting an area of 23.4 square kilometers in the northeast of Shanghai’s city center, the district now governs eight subdistricts with a total population of more than 800,000.
By 2020, Hongkou will have built important functional areas of the Shanghai International Financial Center and the Shanghai International Shipping Center, an influential creative entrepreneurial zone, an accessible and diversified Shanghai cultural heritage development zone and a livable high-quality district with appropriate industries.
At the same time, top-grade office buildings in Hongkou are becoming new landmarks of the city, including Sinar Mas Center, Raffles City of CapitaLand, Shanghai Landmark Center, Shanghai Point and the twin towers of Shanghai YiFang Center.
With a framework titled “South, Middle and North” to promote its industries, functions and forms through coordinated development, Hongkou is experiencing a functional reformation and revolution.
Focusing on the financial and shipping industries, the South Functional Area is the core for the construction of Shanghai International Shipping Center. The area is also part of the CBD area of Shanghai, together with the Bund and Lujiazui, as well as an important part of the Bund financial strip of Shanghai International Financial Center.
Under a strategy for the integrated development of trade, tourism, culture and sports, the Middle Area is activating the resources of river systems and tourism. The area will increase the integration of business, travel, culture and sports, according to its blueprint for the next five years.
The North Functional Area has become another part of the Shanghai S&T Innovation Center, helping to accelerate urban renewal, industrial upgrading and project implementation. A new business zone will be developed for innovation companies to reflect Hongkou’s innovative spirit and support construction of the Shanghai S&T Innovation Center by 2024.
More than 4,500 shipping service companies and more than 38 shipping functional agencies have been registered in Hongkou, which has made the district one of the most concentrated areas of the national shipping economy.
The North Bund was also named as the first “Headquarters Base for Shipping Services” nationwide by the Ministry of Transport.
Up to 10 percent of national publicly offered fund management companies are registered in Hongkou too. Since 2011, more than 1,500 large financial service companies have settled in Hongkou, with their assets exceeding 5 trillion yuan (US$712 billion).
Culture is already an established calling card of Hongkou. Shanyin Road area, Tilanqiao area and part of the Bund historic and cultural preservation area at the northern riverfront of Suzhou Creek are in Hongkou. They are all listed among the city’s 12 historic and cultural preservation zones. The 1933 Shanghai, Peninsular Bay, SNH48 Theater and other historic buildings combine culture and creative fashion to present modern charm and new values.
Hongkou is also dedicated to the development of the low-carbon production service industry and the establishment of the League of Shanghai Energy Saving Industry. The government undertakes the project of Green Technology Bank, whose headquarters are located at Pujiang International Financial Plaza, to build a demonstration area of the green technology.
Typical professional services such as testing, certification, legal services, engineering consultation and other relevant services have been essential commercial support for the economy of the district. By combining science and technology innovation projects and platform construction, Hongkou will prioritize research and development services and advance testing and certification services via the introduction of third-party organizations.
Sinar Mas Center
