Measures to Upgrade the Ability of Hongqiao International Central Business District in Rendering Services for Enterprises 'Going Global'

These Measures are hereby formulated to implement the requirements of the General Plan for the Construction of the Hongqiao International Open Hub, to build a high-standard International Central Business District (CBD), and to upgrade the ability of Hongqiao International Central Business District in rendering services for enterprises "going global".

I. General Requirements

With a view to thoroughly implementing the guiding principles established at the 20th CPC National Congress, and the Requirements of the 14th Five-Year Plan of the Hongqiao International Open Hub Central Business District, the Hongqiao International CBD is oriented to provide high-quality services for enterprises in the Yangtze River Delta to "go global"，by giving full play to the advantages of the location, commerce, policies and services, and by integrating the functions of the "three major" national strategic development platforms: the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta, the China International Import Expo (CIIE) and the Hongqiao International Open Hub.

II. Work Objectives

By the end of 2025, the agglomerative development ability of headquarter enterprises, international competitiveness ability of professional services, coordinated allocation ability of essential resources, and the ability to support and guarantee public services of the Hongqiao International CBD shall be further enhanced to enable enterprises to "go global", and a high-level service highland of the CBD shall be established.

III. Major Tasks

1. Supporting the Agglomerative Development of 'Going Global' Headquarter Enterprises

(1) Supporting quality upgrade of headquarter enterprises of all kinds. Establish and improve policy service systems to support headquarter enterprises "going global", leverage the headquarter cultivation and incubation functions of Hongqiao Trade Headquarters Park, encourage the upgrade of the headquarters already settled in the Hongqiao International CBD so as to develop them into Asia-Pacific headquarters for "going global" or global headquarters. Headquarters with newly increased overseas revenues shall be rewarded. Qualified headquarters shall be given financial supports including special subsidies for operation, special subsidies for talents and the like. In terms of the income from overseas investment and cooperation, policies of profit loss make-up and tax sparing shall be applied according to the provisions. (Responsible units: Hongqiao International Central Business District Administrative Committee, the Municipal Commission of Commerce, the Municipal Bureau of Finance, the Municipal Tax Service, and all relevant districts）

(2) Building a headquarters base for overseas investment of enterprises in the Yangtze River Delta. Give full play to the competitive advantages of the enterprises in the Yangtze River Delta and encourage them to set up overseas investment business sectors in Hongqiao International Central Business District; support the establishment of an international business mode, with the enterprises based in the Yangtze River Delta region, and headquarters in the Hongqiao International Central Business District, Yangtze River Delta based, and business all over the world; support the headquarters of "chain leader enterprises" in industries such as biomedicine, medical care, software information, digital cultural and creative industries, digital integration and intelligent manufacturing equipment, digital economy as well as high-end projects, in settling in the Hongqiao International Central Business District; establish a base for overseas investment headquarters that meets the high-quality development requirements of the Yangtze River Delta. (Responsible units: Hongqiao International Central Business District Administrative Committee and all relevant districts)

(3) Customizing a service package for "Going Global" headquarter enterprises. Coordinate government public services and professional market service resources; provide more customized services for "going global" headquarters, including policy matching, quick response to public complaints, and supply and demand docking. Utilize Government-Enterprise Dialogue Platform in the Hongqiao International Central Business District to enhance the communication mechanism between the government and enterprises and open up a "green channel" to coordinate problems. (Responsible units: Hongqiao International Central Business District Administrative Committee, all relevant districts and the Municipal Commission of Commerce.)

2. Strengthening Professional and Supporting Services

(4) Creating a Hub for professional service institutions in Hongqiao. Encourage professional service institutions with international service capabilities to agglomerate in the Hongqiao International Central Business District; create a list of professional service institutions in the district to guide them in providing high-quality services for enterprises in the Hongqiao International Central Business District; support the development of the Hongqiao branch of the China Shanghai Human Resources Service Industrial Park and the Hongqiao International Central Legal-Services District; explore and create new institutions of professional service industries such as the Hongqiao International Accounting Center and the Hongqiao International Financial and Tax Center; actively seek to replicate and promote relevant measures of the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone on further expanding and opening up of the legal industry; support the establishment of a one-stop resolution mechanism for foreign-related commercial disputes that integrates mediation, arbitration and litigation in the Hongqiao International Central Business District. (Responsible units: Hongqiao International Central Business District Administrative Committee, the Municipal Bureau of Justice, the Municipal Bureau of Human Resources and Social Security, and all relevant competent departments of various industries)

(5) Enhancing the internationalization of professional service institutions. Support professional service organizations in the Hongqiao International Central Business District to accelerate the establishment of an international service market network and improve cross-broader service capabilities through mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and self-construction; provide support for eligible organizations that set up branches or service outlets abroad. Hold forums on intellectual property protection for the Belt and Road Initiative; enhance the ability of the Shanghai Intellectual Property Protection Center to safeguard legal rights, promote the construction of overseas intellectual property service stations, and expand the service network for handling overseas disputes. Support professional service organizations in the Hongqiao International Central Business District to cooperate with "going global" enterprises, providing high-quality services in the manner of following the "going global" enterprises and expanding overseas operation and international business. Leverage the roles of RCEP (Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership) and CEPA (Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement), to support the Hongqiao International Central Business District in exploring and promoting the integration of international rules with reference to professional qualifications, service standards, certification and accreditation. (Responsible units: Hongqiao International Central Business District Administrative Committee, the Municipal Commission of Commerce, the Municipal Bureau of Justice, the Municipal Intellectual Property Administration, and all relevant competent departments of various industries)

3. Building a Hub for International Economic Organizations

(6) Supporting the agglomerative development of international economic organizations. Actively attract international economic and trade organizations with great international influence, high international visibility and robust resource allocation capability to settle in the Hongqiao Overseas Trade Center; provide rental and start-up funding, and operational and special talent subsidies for newly settled and qualified international economic organizations. Offer various support, including landing services and convenient entry and exit for personnel, to qualified overseas trade and investment promotion agencies and renowned international chambers of commerce that settle in the Hongqiao International Central Business District. Encourage international economic organizations and overseas trade and investment promotion agencies in the Hongqiao International Central Business District to hold various investment promotions and international forums, providing “bringing in” and “going out” information services for enterprises in the Hongqiao International Central Business District; support high-level international exchange activities held in the Hongqiao International Central Business District. (Responsible Units: Hongqiao International Central Business District Administrative Committee, the Municipal Bureau of Finance, the Municipal Bureau of Public Security (Administration Office of Overseas NGOs), and the Municipal Commission of Commerce)

(7) Supporting industry associations to enhance international influence. Support professional industry associations in the Hongqiao International Central Business District to further strengthen exchanges and cooperation with overseas industry associations and international organizations, provide overseas affairs coordination and market expansion information for “going global” enterprises. Support the heads of industry associations in taking positions in international organizations or international industry associations. (Responsible units: Hongqiao International Central Business District Administrative Committee, the Municipal Commission of Commerce, and all relevant competent departments of various industries)

4. Enhancing Cross-border Business Element Support

(8) Rounding up high-caliber talents. With Hongqiao International Business Talent Pool and Hongqiao Branch of China Human Resources Service Industrial Park (Shanghai) as the main subjects, accelerate the implementation of the special plan for talent attraction, provide them with talent apartments, public rental housing, education for children, medical care, and other services, and improve related supporting facilities. Increase efforts to attract foreign talents, by providing them with facilitative measures such as long-term work residence and permanent residence. For foreign talents who need to enter the country urgently for business activities, port visa convenience is provided.  Support foreign talents who need to make temporary entry for multiple times in their application for multiple-entry visas. (Responsible units: Hongqiao International Central Business District Administrative Committee, the Municipal Bureau of Human Resources and Social Security, and the Municipal Bureau of Public Security (the Municipal Exit-Entry Administration Bureau)

(9) Innovating financial services and products. Explore the provision of special credit quotas and other support by various financial institutions for enterprises in the Hongqiao International Central Business District; encourage various equity investment institutions to rapidly agglomerate in the Hongqiao International Central Business District; support the pilot program of qualified domestic limited partners (QDLP) to establish themselves in the district. Encourage financial institutions to deepen their cross-border financial services for enterprises in the district by leveraging free trade accounts and enhance the efforts to promote financial products including the integrated funds pools in both domestic and foreign currencies. Encourage Hongqiao International Central Business District Administrative Committee and China Export Credit Insurance Corporation to jointly research and develop cross-border insurance products denominated in RMB for the going global enterprises in the district. Support the financial institutions in the district that assist enterprises in overseas listing, bond issuance, and progressively expanding their financing channels. Support commercial banks in providing receiving and paying facilitation in foreign trade and facilitation as such in capital accounts for eligible enterprises and professional service institutions in the Hongqiao International Central Business District. (Responsible units: the Municipal Local Financial Supervision Bureau, Shanghai Head Office of the People’s Bank of China, Shanghai Office of the National Financial Regulatory Administration, Shanghai Branch of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, Shanghai Securities Regulatory Bureau, and Hongqiao International Central Business District Administrative Committee)

5. Improving the Capability of Public Service Guarantee

(10) Optimizing integrated "Going Global" services. Integrate functions of the platforms such as Shanghai comprehensive service centers for enterprises' "going global" and Shanghai Belt and Road comprehensive service centers and other platforms; agglomerate financial, legal, accounting, advertising and other professional service institutions related to "going global", optimize a "one-stop" service system for project application, policy consultation, and talent development of "going global" enterprises in the Hongqiao International Central Business District; establish a "one-stop" service hall in the Hongqiao International Central Business District and set up a special window that provides "going global" services. (Responsible units: Hongqiao International Central Business District Administrative Committee, the Municipal Development and Reform Commission, the Municipal Commission of Commerce, and Council for the Promotion of International Trade Shanghai)

(11) Exploring the establishment of the Hongqiao Overseas Development Center.

Draw on internationally successful practices and experience to explore the establishment of the Hongqiao Overseas Development Center led by the Hongqiao International Central Business District Administrative Committee and operated as enterprises, providing comprehensive support for enterprises to explore overseas markets, "go global" safely and achieve long-term success. (Responsible units: Hongqiao International Central Business District Administrative Committee)

(12) Leveraging the guiding role of special funds. Maximize the special funding policy of the Hongqiao International Central Business District, coordinate the national special funding for foreign economic and trade development, Shanghai special funding for high-quality development of commerce, and Shanghai guidance funding for service industry development to enable various enterprises, professional service institutions and international economic organizations to settle in the Hongqiao International Central Business District and to further improve the efficiency of funds utilization. (Responsible units: Hongqiao International Central Business District Administrative Committee, the Municipal Commission of Commerce, the Municipal Development and Reform Commission, and the Municipal Bureau of Finance)

(13) Strengthening risk prevention and control and overseas legal rights protection. Strengthen the analysis of the economic situation, investment environment, industry trends, cultural customs and other aspects of overseas countries and regions and publish country-specific investment guides, compilations of policies and regulations, and market analysis reports. Organize special trainings on "going global" to help enterprises understand international market rules, economic and trade investment policies, and legal environments, and guide enterprises to comply with relevant laws and regulations and investment norms of the host countries and sharpen their sense of social responsibility. Leverage Shanghai overseas security working mechanism and Shanghai Overseas Rescue Service Center to guide enterprises to establish sound overseas security prevention and disposal mechanisms, and help them to safeguard their legitimate rights and interests overseas. Explore the establishment of an assessment system of overseas risk response capability for enterprises, providing ex ante competency assessment reports for “going global” enterprises, helping them improve their overseas risk prevention capabilities. (Responsible Units: Hongqiao International Central Business District Administrative Committee, the Foreign Affairs Office of the Municipal People’s Government, the Municipal Commission of Commerce, and Council for the Promotion of International Trade Shanghai)

6. Establishing a New Platform for International Cooperation and Exchange

(14) Amplifying the spillover effect of international expositions. Amplify the spillover effect of the China International Import Expo (CIIE) and rely on the comprehensive display and trading functions of the National Convention and Exhibition Center to actively attract well-known domestic and foreign exhibition enterprises and their headquarters, professional exhibition organizations, brand exhibitions, forum conferences, and supporting enterprises to settle in the Hongqiao International Central Business District. Promote the interaction and exchange of various exhibition resources and elements in the Hongqiao International Central Business District, bring together people, logistics, information flow, and push forward the development of investment and trade. Actively promote the establishment of a pilot zone for "Silk Road E-commerce" cooperation, giving full play to the functional advantages and driving role of Hongqiao International Central Business District in the "Belt and Road" cross-border e-commerce product distribution center. Leverage "6 days + 365 days" platform resources such as the Hongqiao Bonded Commodity Exhibition and Trading Center and Greenland Global Commodity Trading Port to establish a connection between exhibits and commodities for overseas enterprises. Host various high-quality supporting activities and investment and trade promotion activities, launch a series of campaigns named "Brand Exhibitions Entering the Yangtze River Delta" to build a new platform for communication and exchange, information sharing, and international cooperation for enterprises in the Yangtze River Delta to acquaint themselves with Hongqiao. (Responsible units: the Municipal Commission of Commerce, Hongqiao International Central Business District Administrative Committee, and all relevant districts)

(15) Leverage the resource integration function of productive Internet service platforms. Relying on the "going global" enterprise resource network, improve the function of bulk commodity price discovery, and boost the international market influence of the crucial bulk commodity trading service platforms in the Hongqiao International Central Business District. Support collaboration between the industrial product e-commerce service platform within the district and manufacturing enterprises in the Yangtze River Delta, forming an integrated development advantage of "platform + park" to enhance supply chain efficiency. Support digital transformation service platforms in providing research and development, production, management and trade services for "going global" enterprises throughout the whole process. Accelerate the establishment of professional service platforms closely related to key industries such as life and health, advanced materials, and fashion consumption to offer "technology + market" value-added services for "going global" enterprises. (Responsible units: Hongqiao International Central Business District Administrative Committee, the Municipal Commission of Commerce, the Municipal Development and Reform Commission, and the Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization)

IV. Safeguard Measures

1. Forming Collaborative Workforce

All departments, according to division of responsibilities, shall strengthen the overall planning and coordination, refine the plans and measures, actively conduct investigations and research, and promptly optimize and adjust policies and measures to ensure the effective implementation of all measures that can upgrade the service abilities for enterprises to "go global". The Hongqiao International Central Business District Administrative Committee shall take the main responsibility to strengthen the services for enterprises, promptly spot and solve problems, and come out with institutionalized arrangements. (Responsible Units: all relevant departments and Hongqiao International Central Business District Administrative Committee)

2. Optimizing the Business Environment

Enhance the facilitation of administrative examination and approval for outbound investments and actively carry out the pilot projects of comprehensive outbound investment services in the Hongqiao International Central Business District. Based on the "Government Online-Offline Shanghai" website,  explore the establishment of a data and information service center for the Hongqiao International Central Business District and create a dynamic electronic map of settled enterprises, public service outlets, and market-oriented service agencies in the Hongqiao International Central Business District. (Responsible units: Hongqiao International Central Business District Administrative Committee, the Municipal Development and Reform Commission, the Municipal Commission of Commerce, and all relevant departments and districts)

3. Strengthening Publicity and Promotion

In line with the positioning of "going global" service highland for enterprises in the Yangtze River Delta, efforts shall be made to strengthen the domestic and international promotion and publicity of the Hongqiao International Central Business District. Fully leverage the overseas offices network of the Municipal Foreign Investment Promotion Center and actively expand the international communication channels to establish the brand of the Hongqiao Overseas Development Center. Carry out coordinated planning and hosting of various promotional campaigns and matchmaking activities that can create a two-way investment and trade promotion network to enhance the international influence of the Hongqiao International Central Business District as an international open hub. (Responsible units: Hongqiao International Central Business District Administrative Committee, the Municipal Commission of Commerce, and all relevant districts)