​Changning is the only central urban area within the Shanghai section of the Hongqiao International Open Hub. It is committed to building the "Top Hongqiao" brand and championing the cause of opening-up.

Focusing on three key areas — building an "influential hub" for companies going global, a new "growth engine" for the regional economy, and a "testing ground" for reform and innovation — it has continuously enhanced leadership and contribution.

In 2024, tax revenue in the Changning section of the open hub grew by 11.8 percent, 7.5 percentage points higher than the district's average. The total tax revenue increased from 11.1 billion yuan ($1.56 billion) in 2020 to 21.1 billion yuan in 2024.

Building 'influential hub' for corporate global expansion

Currently, "go global or lose out" has become a consensus for many companies. Proactively responding to this new trend of global expansion, Changning has established relevant platforms and strives to build an influential hub for corporate global headquarters in the Yangtze River Delta region.

First, it is building a comprehensive service platform — an integrated online and offline service center for corporate global headquarters that combines government services with professional market services such as overseas digital marketing, global logistics, and foreign-related legal support.

Second, it is developing specialized service platforms, including the city's first overseas testing and certification service platform and a workstation for intellectual property rights protection and overseas rights defense assistance.

Third, it is creating resource connection platforms by partnering with "international business partners" such as the Italian Chamber of Commerce, the Norwegian Chamber of Commerce, and Invest in Denmark to better connect overseas resources for enterprises going global from the YRD region.

Fostering new 'growth engine' for regional economy

Efforts are underway to further strengthen the headquarters economy, digital economy, and aviation economy.

In terms of the headquarters economy, the section has gathered 60 regional headquarters of multinational companies and foreign-funded R&D centers, accounting for 40 percent of all such headquarters in the district.

For the digital economy, nearly 2,000 digital economy enterprises have been nurtured and clustered in the section, with revenue growing by 14 percent in 2024.

Regarding the aviation economy, the air transport industry has fully recovered, with metrics such as revenue and passenger turnover surpassing 2019 levels.

The section is accelerating the shaping of a competitive edge across the entire industrial chain, including air transport, aviation maintenance, aviation catering, aviation leasing, aviation investment, and aviation tourism.

At the same time, Changning is promoting the extension of the aviation economy from high-altitude to low-altitude sectors.

Leveraging its strengths in gathering functional institutions such as airworthiness certification, airspace management, and flight services, the district is vigorously cultivating and developing the low-altitude economy.

It has unveiled the Hongqiao International Low-Altitude Economic Industrial Park (Changning Park) and introduced a number of leading enterprises such as the Low-Altitude Company of the Ninth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation and Shanghai Low-Altitude Economic Industrial Development Co Ltd.

Preparations are underway to establish low-altitude airworthiness consulting service agencies and a low-altitude economy research platform, actively building a hub for low-altitude economy corporate headquarters in the YRD region.

Building 'testing ground' for reform and innovation

​Carrying on its tradition of pioneering and experimentation, Changning issued China's first comprehensive permit for a wholly foreign-owned shopping center format, pioneering the "one permit for operation" model and facilitating the smooth opening of Livat Shanghai, a large commercial complex.

Integrating into the YRD regional coordinated development, it has engaged in cooperation and exchanges with multiple areas in the region to promote resource sharing, joint project development, industrial synergy, and regulatory coordination.

It handled the first cross-provincial real estate registration transactions between Shanghai-Hangzhou and Shanghai-Suzhou under the YRD initiative, issued the region's first cross-provincial practicing certificate for lawyers, and contributed to the high-quality integrated development of the YRD region.

Moving forward, Changning will continue to strengthen its core functions and comparative advantages, further polish the "Top Hongqiao" brand, and contribute more to the building of the open hub.

Source: Changning district government