Shanghai aiming to promote online economy

Shanghai has issued an action plan to promote development of the online economy, focusing on 12 key aspects that include unmanned factories, industrial Internet and online health care.

The COVID-19 outbreak which disrupted production and people’s lifestyles, however, fueled the online economy.

The new way of doing business, which is "online, intelligent and interactive,” integrates interactive technologies, such as artificial intelligence, 5G, the Internet, big data and block chain, with traditional sectors that include modern manufacturing, business finance, culture and entertainment, education and health care, logistics and travel.

Shanghai’s authorities aim to develop the online economy as a new driver to boost economic recovery after the pandemic. 

One goal is to gather more than 100 innovative companies with core technologies, independent intellectual property rights and international competitiveness this year.

Also, a number of platforms for research and development as well as result transformation will be established, to boost technological innovation in the fields of artificial intelligence, 5G, the Internet, big data and block chain.

The city’s target is to build no less than 100 unmanned factories, unmanned production lines, and unmanned workshops, focusing on new manufacturing methods such as flexible manufacturing and cloud manufacturing.

Meanwhile, 20 industrial Internet platforms with national influence will be set up.

The development of online culture and entertainment, such as short videos, live streaming, online gaming and eSports will also be pushed forward.

The city also attaches importance to aspects that include telecommuting, online finance, online exhibitions, fresh food retail sales on e-commerce platforms, contactless delivery, intelligent connected vehicles, online education, online R&D and design, and online health care.

To ensure practical implementation of support policies, Shanghai is to further improve public services, carry out inclusive and prudential regulation, optimize the professional evaluation system for new types of talent such as freelancers, and construct a batch of “ecological parks” for the online economy.