As a strategic hub in Shanghai, Minhang district has played a pivotal role in the city's innovation and opening-up, achieving significant milestones during the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) period.

In 2024, the district's GDP hit 411.9 billion yuan ($58.04 billion), ranking second in the city. Its R&D expenditure accounted for about 8 percent of its GDP, the highest proportion among Shanghai's districts.

Economic upgrade

Once a manufacturing stronghold, Minhang is undergoing a remarkable transformation. In 2024, the tertiary industry comprised 73.5 percent of the district's GDP.

Strategic emerging industries, including advanced energy equipment, aerospace, and biomedicine, are thriving, with their output representing 52.6 percent of the total output value of industries above designated size last year, 9 percentage points above the city’s average.

The advanced energy equipment cluster fosters a full ecosystem spanning research, production, and application.

The "aerospace Minhang" brand is gaining traction with significant projects centered on commercial rockets and satellites, establishing a full-cycle industry chain.

The biomedicine sector is robust, structured into a triad of innovation source in the south, R&D in the north, and manufacturing in the east.

The district continues to invest in future energy, space, and health sectors. It is home to low-altitude economy leaders like TCab Tech.

Shanghai's first elderly care science park as well as China's inaugural brain-computer interface industry cluster are both under construction here.

Global connectivity

Minhang is strengthening its role as a global business and trade center. The Minhang section of the Hongqiao International Central Business District is flourishing, housing nearly 28,000 enterprises, generated tax revenues of 10.9 billion yuan in 2024, or 2.2-fold that at the end of the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20) period.

Trade platforms are evolving, with the Hongqiao Import Commodity Exhibition and Trading Center showcasing 85,000 varieties of products from 120 countries and regions. The import sales of the Hongqiao CBD Bonded Logistics Center (Type B) contribute to over 40 percent of the city's total, leading Shanghai for two consecutive years.

The China-Europe freight train "Shanghai Express", departing from Minhang, has expanded trade routes across Europe and Asia, dispatching over 300 trains and transporting goods valued at more than 10 billion yuan to date.

Innovative ecosystem

Minhang is at the forefront of sci-tech innovation, making every effort to develop the Grand NeoBay, a dedicated sci-tech innovation zone.

The district boasts 39 national scientific research platforms, playing a significant role in national projects like China's lunar exploration program.

Since the start of the 14th Five-Year Plan, Minhang has received 13 national sci-tech awards and nurtured 119 national-level "little giants" — leading small and medium-sized enterprises that specialize in niche sectors, command a high market share, and feature strong innovative capacity and core technologies.

Efforts to accelerate technology transfer have been fruitful. Minhang-based Shanghai Jiao Tong University topped domestic institutions of higher learning in technology transfers, with turnover reaching about 1.72 billion yuan in 2024. The district has served over 3,000 enterprises through 32 international technology transfer channels.

New innovation hubs and incubators are springing up, including the Vi Park, a redevelopment of a former rubber factory.

Recognition of Minhang as one of China's first intellectual property demonstration areas further underscores its importance in innovation and IP protection.

Source: Official WeChat account of the General Office of the Shanghai Municipal People's Government at "shanghaifabu"