Yangpu district — a major hub for foreign investment in Shanghai — is raising its international profile with the Warm Yangpu initiative, which aims to improve business services and promote innovation for foreign investors.

The district recently welcomed the establishment there of the Italian Innovation Center. It also signed a friendship agreement with Rome's Municipio I — an administrative sub-division of Italy's capital city — to promote trade, innovation and cultural exchanges.

Foreign companies are shaping Yangpu's growth in terms of three key trends:

• Industry leaders cluster: Fortune Global 500 companies such as Nike, Siemens, Ford and IBM are expanding their presence there, forming two major research and development hubs.
• Innovation accelerates: Research centers, including the Nike Sport Research Laboratory and Siemens' Process Industry Experience Center Shanghai, are driving technological advances.
• Global network expands: International organizations, such as the Nordic Innovation Center and the Brazil Center, are serving to strengthen cross-border collaboration.

Yangpu is now home to more than 1,300 foreign companies employing 60,000 people. In the first 11 months of 2024, the district attracted 107 new foreign investment projects, up 48.6 percent year-on-year, with foreign direct investment reaching $477 million.

In 2025, Yangpu aims to improve the Warm Yangpu foreign investment services — attracting high-quality projects and deepening ties with global innovation networks.

With platforms such as the Chinese University of Hong Kong Shanghai Centre and the Brazil Center, the district will strengthen its role as a hub for multinational R&D and international business cooperation.

Source: Yangpu district government