GONG Zheng

Mayor of Shanghai

January 1, 2024

Fellow citizens, comrades and friends,

The bell of the New Year has just rung. At this happy moment of ringing out the old and ringing in the new, on behalf of the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government, I would like to extend my New Year greetings and sincere wishes to all the people of Shanghai, and to friends at home and abroad who have been following and supporting the development of Shanghai!

The year 2023 is the first year of fully implementing the guiding principles from the Party’s 20th National Congress, and a year of great significance to Shanghai’s socialist modernization. General Secretary Xi Jinping visited Shanghai on an inspection tour and made a new strategic plan for our city’s development, urging that we “accelerate efforts to establish Shanghai as a socialist, modern and international metropolis with global influence, and fully leverage Shanghai’s leading and exemplary role in pursuing Chinese modernization”. Bearing in mind these important instructions, the entire people of Shanghai have taken up this crucial mission and forged ahead more resolutely ever since.

Over the past year, we have made every effort to boost confidence, expand demand, ensure steady growth and promote development, securing an upturn in the economy. The three pioneering industries of integrated circuit, biomedicine and artificial intelligence were further bolstered; the turnover of the financial markets exceeded 3,300 trillion yuan; our port maintained its top global position in terms of total trade volume and container throughput; and the ratio of total R&D expenditure to GDP continued to rank among the highest in China. Shanghai’s economy has become more dynamic and more resilient.

Over the past year, guided by major national strategies, we have deepened reform and opening-up. The comprehensive reform pilot in Pudong has been implemented. The Lin’gang Special Area has taken the lead in conducting pressure tests. The integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta has been advanced. The capacity of the Hongqiao International Opening-up Hub has been enhanced. The 6th China International Import Expo has been successfully held. As a result, Shanghai’s role as a pioneer has become more prominent in comprehensively deepening reform and expanding high-standard opening-up.

Over the past year, we have protected and improved people’s well-being through development, and continuously enhanced people’s quality of life. A new round of 19 projects in the public interest have been fully launched, and another 32 projects in ten aspects bringing tangible benefits to the people have been completed ahead of schedule and exceeded expectations. The “New Era Home for Urban Builders and Managers” has made rental housing affordable, and urban renewal has been accelerated. The new highlights of the Huangpu River and the Suzhou Creek have continued to emerge, and waste sorting has become a “new fashion”. A greater number of urban parks and green spaces have removed their fences, and more elderly care and childcare facilities have been built in communities. Thanks to refined management, this people’s city not only has high-rise buildings, but also shows its concern for the people.

The New Year’s bell is a clarion call that urges people to forge ahead. We must turn General Secretary Xi Jinping’s deep care for Shanghai and his earnest remarks to the city into a strong driver for consistent efforts and endeavors, into practical actions that promote high-quality development and the new development paradigm, and into fruitful results that continuously contribute to the well-being and prosperity of all the people.

We will continue to speed up socialist modernization. We will double down on developing “Five Centers”, boost innovation in science and technology, deepen reforms in an all-round way and promote high-standard opening-up. We will implement the strategic tasks assigned by the central government and keep abreast of the best practices in modern urban management, breaking down an ambitious blueprint into action plans and following through till it becomes reality.

We will work whole-heartedly to ensure that development benefits the entire people. Bearing in mind that the city is built by the people and for the people, we will leave the best resources to our people and actively carry out substantive social projects to address their concerns about housing and living, elderly care and childcare, education and medical services, to name a few. We will continue to meet people’s aspiration for a better life and score new success in developing a people-centered city. 

Down-to-earth hard work can build greatness and pave the way for the future. Let us stay united around the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core. Under the leadership of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee, let us blaze a new trail of development to present the world with stunning miracles and showcase the new momentum of socialist modernization!

I wish you all good health, a successful career and a happy family!

May our great motherland and her people enjoy peace and prosperity!