Main responsibilities:

1. Implement relevant laws, regulations, rules, policies and guidelines related to domestic and foreign trade, foreign investment, international economic cooperation and port services. Research and draft local regulations and rules for domestic and foreign trade, foreign investment, international economic cooperation and port services. Formulate relevant policies and organise their implementation.

2. Organise the drafting of construction plans and development strategies for Shanghai as an international trade centre, and coordinate the advancement of its construction. Develop strategies, planning, standards and measures for domestic and foreign trade, foreign investment, foreign economic cooperation and port services, and organise their implementation.

3. Advance the construction of a modern market system and oversee the management of the spot commodity market. Promote the development of trade-oriented headquarters. Collaborate with relevant departments to advance supply chain innovation and application, and lead the development of the platform economy. Propel the development of modern logistics, and, according to the division of labor, promote the construction of the recycling system for renewable resources. Also, in line with the division of labor, take charge of the management of the automobile sales, used car circulation and scrapped vehicle dismantling industries. Promoting brand building in the business field, and facilitate reform and innovation of time-honored brands.

4. Drive the construction of credit in the field of commerce, optimise the consumption environment, establish a public service platform for commercial integrity, promote classified supervision of commercial credit and guide credit sales in commerce. Take the lead in establishing a coordinated supervision mechanism for single-use, prepaid consumption cards and provide supervision as well as service. Manage the pharmaceutical distribution sector.

5. Organise and implement the regulation of important consumer goods markets and the management of the circulation of important means of production. Establish a sound emergency mechanism for the market supply of necessities of life. According to the division of labor, oversee the management of important commodity reserves and market regulation. Manage the distribution of edible agricultural products and construction of a traceability system for important goods. Foster and develop the aquatic product market, formulate plans and policies for the distribution of alcoholic beverages. Promote the construction of rural market systems, and organise and implement the modern rural distribution network projects.

6. Facilitate commerce and trade development. Promote modern distribution methods. Stimulate and expand consumption. Guide and coordinate planning for commodity trading markets. Coordinate the layout of commercial networks. Improve and implement the safety production responsibility system in commerce and trade, and guide, coordinate, supervise and manage relevant safety production work. Promote such modern distribution methods as chain operation and franchising, and stimulate consumption in the commerce and trade sector. Assume responsibility for the management of the commerce and trade sector, and monitor and analyse macro-level conditions of the sector.

7. Advance the development of the life service industry, improve the statistical monitoring system, and research and promote innovative development modes. Manage life services within its scope of responsibility. Supervise and administrate the auction industry in line with relevant regulations. Promote the development of modern service industry clusters.

8. Take the lead in the development and promotion of e-commerce. Advance innovation in commerce and trade distribution models. Apply technologies to propel the development of digital commerce. Organise and implement e-commerce demonstration projects. Build up e-commerce’s public service system. Collect statistics on e-commerce and monitor its development.

9. Guide adjustments to the structures of imports and exports. Build a system to better facilitate the trade of goods, and promote outstanding brands’ entries into domestic and international markets. Take the lead in developing cross-border e-commerce. Monitor the statistics of imports and exports. Manage imports of important industrial products, import and export licenses for some items, and export quotas for goods other than grain, cotton and coal. Manage the imports and exports of mechanical and electrical products, complete equipment, high-tech products and the like. Supervise and administrate the imports and exports of dual-purpose articles and technologies within its scope of responsibility.

10. Build up the service trade promotion system. Facilitate the development of key areas in service trade and key models, such as service outsourcing. Promote the construction of an international public platform for technology import and export transactions. Assume responsibility for the management of technology imports and exports, service outsourcing, software exports, international freight forwarding and other such industries within its scope of responsibility. Work with relevant departments to promote innovation in the emerging fields of service trade. Assume responsibility for collecting statistics on and monitoring the service trade.

11. Develop comprehensive plans for local responses following China's accession to the World Trade Organisation and organise implementation in collaboration with relevant departments. Establish a regional import and export fair trade early-warning mechanism. Guide and coordinate export anti-dumping and anti-subsidy efforts. Participate in organising industrial damage investigations. Participate in the mediation of major foreign trade disputes. Take on responsibility for trade policy compliance reviews and intellectual property work in related foreign trade.

12. Provide guidance on and coordination of foreign investment in Shanghai, and manage foreign-invested enterprises’ approvals and record filings. Provide guidance on the introduction of foreign capital into development zones and related work in national economic and technological development zones. Review, approve and record the establishment and changes of foreign-invested enterprises. Provide policy consultation and other coordinated services for foreign-invested enterprises, in accordance with its authority.

13. Establish a system of economic indicators and a system of credit evaluation for the MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) industry. Optimise the business environment for the MICE industry. Promote the integrated development of the MICE industry with related sectors. Manage international economic and trade exhibitions. Guide and support the development of key brand exhibitions. Coordinate urban support work for large exhibitions such as the China International Import Expo.

14. Oversee foreign economic cooperation, implement relevant matters concerning foreign economic cooperation and foreign aid. Record and manage the establishment of enterprises overseas (excluding financial enterprises) in accordance with the law. Guide and advance overseas project contracting, labor export cooperation, overseas employment and other relevant work. Take the lead in safeguarding the rights and interests of people assigned to work, or otherwise employed, overseas. Undertake and participate in multilateral economic and trade negotiations within the overall strategic framework of the country's foreign economic cooperation. Handle economic and trade relations with specific countries and regions.

15. Assume responsibility for the preliminary review of the opening of ports of entry, including new openings, expanded openings, temporary openings, and temporary entries and exits in non-open areas, and submit them for approval. Also take responsibility for the review, acceptance and submission for approval of the opening of new, rebuilt or expanded docks, terminals, stations and other foreign-related areas in the open areas. Assume responsibility for the review and approval of temporary berthing within the open areas and lead preparations for the acceptance of newly built or expanded special supervision areas. Coordinate and supervise the planning, design, investment and construction of supporting facilities for inspection at ports of entry, and coordinate the planning and construction of supporting facilities for inspection in special supervision areas.

16. Coordinate and support the customs clearance procedures at ports of entry, coordinate and promote the linkage and cooperation among inspection units and innovate on supervision models. Coordinate the customs clearance services for major events, such as important international conferences, major international competitions and large-scale international exhibitions. Participate in port-safety coordination. Gather information on and coordinate to resolve issues faced by inspection units that require resolution through the local government.

17. Coordinate and promote the informatization of customs clearance supervision at ports of entry and in special supervision areas. Conduct statistical analyses and releases of port-operation data.

18. Organise and conduct major trade and economic activities concerning foreign affairs. Review, approve and manage Shanghai-based representative offices of non-enterprise economic organisations from foreign countries, and Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan. Carry out investment promotion and trade and economic cooperation between Shanghai and Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, and handle trade and economic affairs concerning Taiwan.

19. Provide guidance and supervision for relevant intermediaries and organisations, develop talent pools and organise publicity for the business and port of entry sectors.

20. Perform other tasks assigned by the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee and the municipal government.