District aims at enhancing capability level
A ring-shaped walkway links up the commercial centers at the corners of the Middle Ring Road in Putuo District, forming the Middle Ring Commercial Center. The district aims to further its commitment to become a region of innovation, humanity and ecology in the next five years, as revealed at the fifth plenary meeting of the 10th CPC Putuo committee.
AS the western gateway of Shanghai, Putuo District is committed to become a region of innovation, humanity and ecology to match with the city’s ambition to be an “excellent global city.”
Putuo aims to create a “practical zone for science and technology-driven transitions” as well as an “eco-friendly environment for living, working and entrepreneurship” by 2035.
Cao Liqiang, the Party secretary of Putuo, told the fifth plenary meeting of the 10th CPC Putuo committee that the district aims to become an important region for Shanghai’s scientific innovation center and a key junction to serve and influence the Yangtze River Delta region within five to 10 years.
To achieve that goal, a swathe of new landmark projects are planned for Putuo, such as the Caojiadu Electronic Sports City, Changfeng Micro Resort, Taopu Smart City and a Zhenru greenbelt.
“The most important task for Putuo in the next step is to enhance its capability level and core competence,” Cao said at the meeting on July 16.
Compared to other downtown districts, Putuo is short on its urban capability level, core competence and several other areas.
Its comprehensive economic competence, for instance, still requires new pillar industries, even though the real estate bubble has been curbed.
Residents’ living quality also needs further improvements. There are nearly 600,000 square meters of old residential apartments in Putuo where tenants still have difficulties using the toilet, bathroom and kitchen facilities.
The Putuo district government plans to make citizens’ demands a top priority and start from the most important and urgent problems to enhance its capability and core competence.
The Putuo government has mapped out a blueprint to create an axis and two wings to drive the development of the whole district.
The “Wuning Innovation Development Axis” is being developed along Wuning Road, a major thoroughfare link between Shanghai and the Yangtze River Delta region.
The axis is expected to become a key site for Putuo to attract innovative sectors, transform scientific achievements and develop new economic growth capability.
The “southern wing” will feature the Shanghai science and technology finance industrial zone as well as the Changshou commercial and business zone, while Taopu Smart City will comprise the “northern wing” along with the Zhenru sub-center of the city.
The district also plans to renovate over 555,000 square meters of old residential buildings, which includes four historical protection blocks, to further improve the living conditions of its Putuo residents.
The district plans to better use its land resources and regional advantages to create maximum efficiency and benefit.
No effort will be spared to attract businesses and quality projects with finely-built office buildings and business facilities.
“The district not only aims to attract industrial giants and ‘unicorns,’ but also welcome those growing small-size enterprises,” Cao said.
The district will accelerate adjusting its economic structure, to focus on rising sectors such as artificial intelligence, scientific finance, software and information service, professional service and cultural innovation industries.
Putuo encourages multinational enterprises to set up management, sales and research and development headquarters to carry out cross-regional, chain, franchise and trusted businesses in the district.
Moreover, the district is committed to join and contribute to the city government’s campaign to promote its four brands — manufacturing, service, shopping and culture.
The district will enhance its comprehensive urban service functions to improve the service quality, create service brands and optimize the service environment.
“Service is Putuo’s top resource to make all kinds of customers, consumers and market entities feel satisfied in Putuo,” Cao said.
The manufacturing brand will focus on high-tech, high-quality, cutting-edge and professional industries to develop and gather enterprises with huge development potential.
Putuo will also drive the upgrading of its traditional commercial zones to create one-stop shopping experiences and build new commercial landmarks.
It plans to take the advantage of the China International Import Expo to develop a series of exhibition and trade platforms that will open around the clock.
To help boost the “Shanghai Culture” brand, Putuo will serve the city government’s target to build a “global film production center” by establishing an Internet film industry zone on Jinshajiang Road.
The Caojiadu e-sports center will cap the city’s ambition to become the global e-sports capital, and the profound culture and history along the Suzhou Creek will be further developed to make the creek a shining tag of Putuo.
