Changning district, which covers an area of 37.18 square kilometers and is located in close adjacency to the Hongqiao Integrated Transportation Hub, is home to Shanghai's first CBD for foreign enterprises and is a major contributor to Shanghai as an international trade center.

As one of the most international downtown areas with the most mature commerce and trade in the city, Changning currently hosts about one-third of consulates, about one-fifth of registered expats, more than 6,600 foreign-invested enterprises, and 80 MNC regional headquarters (RHQs) in Shanghai.

During the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) period, the district will focus on developing the airport economy, headquarters economy as well as digital economy and promoting the development of intelligent transportation and other industries, building itself into a headquarters highland, a national demonstration zone for the airport economy and a model area for the digital economy transformation.

Investment Highlights

  Traditional Competitive Industries: Modern trade, information services, professional services

  Key Specialized Industries: Airport economy, intelligent connectivity, fashion & creativity

  Emerging Industries: AI, financial services, life science and healthcare, modern new economy

Business-supporting Facilities

  Hongqiao-Gubei Area

Key Buildings: SOHO Gubei, Dawning Center, Gubei Fortune

  Zhongshan Park Commercial Zone

Key Buildings: Zhaofeng Plaza, Raffles City Changning, SOHO Tianshan Plaza

  Shanghai Hongqiao Airport Economic Demonstration Zone

Function Positioning: An international air transport hub, a headquarters base for global airlines, a high-end service industry cluster, a national business jet base, a low-carbon development area

  Shanghai Multimedia Park

Industry Positioning: Digital cultural and creative industries covering multimedia display & exhibition, animation, film & TV production, digital entertainment

Policy Support

  Driving the Headquarters Economy

Apart from the municipal policies for MNC RHQs, newly introduced or upgraded MNC RHQs or HQ-agencies are entitled to a one-off subsidy of 2 million yuan ($279,092); enterprises that rent or purchase office buildings for their own use in Changning are eligible for a rental subsidy capped at 4.5 million yuan or a purchase allowance capped at 10 million yuan; enterprises with paid-in foreign investment reaching 30 million yuan are eligible for a one-time reward of 1 million yuan.

  Loosening Access Restrictions

Efforts have been made to seek institutional innovation in the development of a cross-industry approval system and new procedures for "Internet+" living services and other related industries in terms of operation qualification, administrative permit and business license, so as to loosen the restrictions on administrative approval and lower the market access threshold.

  Introducing Key Enterprises

A lump-sum subsidy of 200,000 yuan will be given to newly approved or newly moved-in high-tech enterprises. National and regional aviation factors trading platforms newly introduced by aviation service enterprises are entitled to a one-off grant of 1 million yuan and 500,000 yuan respectively. A subsidy, capped at 30 million yuan, will be given to newly introduced key enterprises engaged in financial services and fintech services.

  Attracting Outstanding Talent

Identified senior management members are eligible for a housing allowance capped at 500,000 yuan. Exceptional professionals will receive a rental subsidy of 1,600 yuan per month for at most 24 months.

  Supporting Corporate Innovations

A subsidy of 500,000 yuan will be granted to enterprises introducing technology absorption and innovation projects.

Sources: Shanghai Foreign Investment Guide 2022 and 2023, Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization