The plan aims to implement the directives of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, and the State Council — the country's Cabinet — regarding the reform, opening-up and innovation of digital trade and trade in services.

By 2029, Shanghai aims to achieve a service trade import and export volume valued at $260 billion, with digitally delivered services accounting for $130 billion, representing about 50 percent of the total trade in services.

I. Vigorously develop digitally delivered services

- Pilot the opening-up of value-added telecommunications services: Leverage the digital infrastructure advantages of the Lin-gang Special Area and Pudong New Area to attract foreign investment in wholly owned internet data centers, content distribution networks and app stores. Encourage foreign capital to provide internet access services, online data processing and information protection services.

- Expand digital product trade, with a focus on cultural trade: Promote cultural trade abroad by annually selecting the top 10 Shanghai cultural trade brands. Attract overseas games and films not yet publicly released in China to be tested and showcased at international gaming and film festivals. Draw top international esports events to Shanghai.

- Develop high-end service outsourcing to expand the digital service trade: Implement a "from enterprise to product" regulatory model in a pilot for biomedical research and development material imports. Strengthen the influence of the national digital service export base and support the development of multinational shared services centers.

- Promote the collaborative development of digital technology trade and industry: Build industry-specific clouds — such as for trade, industry and healthcare — to facilitate international connectivity. Promote the integration of "design plus manufacturing", strengthen international cooperation in artificial intelligence and extend the pilot for data product intellectual property registration.

Note: Industry clouds are tailored sector-specific platforms designed to meet industry-specific business processes, information models and technological needs.

II. Expand digital ordering trade

- Optimize cross-border e-commerce air and sea freight supervision models: Improve air freight facilitation for cross-border e-commerce goods, including those with batteries, magnets and cosmetics. Enhance cargo handling capabilities at air freight stations for cross-border e-commerce.

- Strengthen financial support for cross-border e-commerce: Innovate and utilize cross-border e-commerce credit insurance products and simplify foreign exchange procedures for small and micro cross-border e-commerce enterprises. Enhance cross-border renminbi settlement services.

- Expand cross-border e-commerce imports: Encourage foreign e-commerce platforms to establish headquarters in Shanghai or the Asia-Pacific region and launch Chinese platforms. Promote bonded imports by enabling "same warehouse storage and same shipments" for foreign trade goods in special customs supervision zones. Streamline return processes for direct-purchase cross-border e-commerce goods.

III. Advance digital infrastructure development

- Accelerate the construction and expansion of advanced network infrastructure: Expedite the development of new information communications infrastructure, including 5G and fiber-optic broadband networks. Support the construction of the Southeast Asia-Japan 2 (SJC2) submarine cable system and the new submarine optical fiber cable landing station in the Lin-gang Special Area. Expand the National (Shanghai) New Internet Exchange Center and international internet data channels.

- Establish high-performance computing infrastructure: Develop high-capacity cloud computing data center clusters, open computing power platforms and interlinked computing power platforms. Build public computing service hubs in cities to provide accessible computing services for SMEs. Establish large-scale commercial computing power. In the Hongqiao International Central Business District, explore the development of data centers with international service capabilities and a regional influence in the Yangtze River Delta region.

- Develop blockchain and data infrastructure: Build blockchain infrastructure and a Blockchain-as-a-Service or BaaS platform to facilitate trustworthy cross-border data flows. Promote the development of high-quality data elements for linguistic resources.

IV. Innovate and enhance trade in services

- Digitally empower shipping service trade: Develop smart ports by applying technologies such as blockchain and big data. Strengthen the online verification and use of electronic documents like bills of lading, letters of credit and crew certificates. Expand the Asia-Pacific Model E-Port Network to create a global hub for trade and logistics information exchanges. Introduce safety and punctuality forecast indexes for international shipping containers entering and leaving ports. Promote data sharing and digital transformation in air cargo. Establish a public service platform for air cargo information that integrates the entire logistics chain. Use digital technologies to enhance shipping finance, insurance and legal services — and strengthen key shipping service hubs in areas like the North Bund, Hongqiao Linkong, the Lin-gang Special Area, and the Lujiazui-World Expo area.

- Accelerate the development of financial insurance service trade: Enhance the Cross-border Interbank Payment System. Attract domestic and foreign companies to issue Panda Bonds (renminbi-denominated bonds by non-Chinese issuers) and Belt and Road Bonds (sustainable development bonds for countries along the Belt and Road Initiative). Support qualified foreign traders in directly participating in trading international commodities such as crude oil, low-sulfur fuel oil and copper futures. Establish an international reinsurance zone in the Lin-gang Special Area and build the Shanghai International Reinsurance Registration and Trading Center.

- Develop service trade systems for the aviation industry: Explore business models such as aircraft leasing, consignments and sharing. Establish an aviation asset trading platform that covers the full lifecycle of aviation assets — including aircraft, engines, simulators and services like trading, maintenance, refurbishments and disposals. Improve the regulatory framework for the service trade.

- Promote green service trade: Support the importing of technologies and services in energy-saving, carbon reduction, environmental protection and ecological restoration. Promote the export of green energy-saving technologies and services. Utilize the Green Technology Bank platform to strengthen international cooperation. Enhance the carbon emissions trading market and expand carbon finance products.

Note: The Green Technology Bank is a key initiative launched in 2016 by China's Ministry of Science and Technology and the Municipal Government of Shanghai.

V. Strengthen enterprise development and regional infrastructure

- Enhance leading enterprises: Update the Shanghai Catalogue for the Promotion of Trade in Services annually to clarify development directions. Increase support for tech-driven service enterprises, encouraging the use of digital technologies, AI and other innovations. Support businesses in contributing to the development and promotion of international standards for the digital service trade.

- Develop the Shanghai Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA) cooperation zone: Promote pragmatic cooperation in areas such as electronic bills of lading, e-invoices, electronic ports, e-payments and e-commerce for SMEs. Make the Lin-gang Special Area the core area for DEPA cooperation, advancing digital trade international cooperation.

- Establish a pilot zone for Silk Road e-commerce cooperation: Expand institutional openness in e-commerce and engage in industry connections, local cooperation and capacity building with partner countries. Promote new business models such as electronic ordering, live-streaming shopping and cultural e-commerce. Establish the "Silk Road E-Commerce" national pavilion and "Silk Road E-commerce Selection" brands and create platforms for think tank alliances, cooperative training and online exchanges. Participate in global trade promotions and assistance initiatives.

- Create an international data economy industrial park: Develop a new international data economy industrial park in the Lin-gang Special Area, piloting collaborative innovation in business. Improve the service efficiency of the Lin-gang Special Area Cross-border Data Service Center and refine its investment attraction model.

- Enhance the scale effect of service trade clusters: Each district will accelerate the growth of the digital service trade, tailored to its unique resources and industries. Special customs zones, such as the Jinqiao and Caohejing Comprehensive Bonded Zones, will shift their focus towards the digital service trade. A plan to support SMEs in the service trade will be rolled out, encouraging districts to establish innovation incubators, improve export credit insurance for the service trade and to connect with the national service trade innovation development fund.

VI. Promote smooth flow of trade elements

- Facilitate and regulate cross-border data flow: Formulate a negative list and operational guidelines for cross-border data flow in the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone, including the Lin-gang Special Area. Support businesses in easily accessing international internet services.

- Facilitate the cross-border movement of individuals: Accelerate the development of the Oriental Hub International Business Cooperation Zone, focusing on expanding international training in areas such as medical devices and aviation. Improve the applications process for the APEC Business Travel Card. Introduce pre-processing services for foreign port visas and launch pilot programs for electronic port visas. Create a direct service platform for overseas talent.

- Optimize cross-border capital flow management: Support the application of funding pool services for the centralized management of cross-border funds in the digital service trade. Launch pilot projects for international electronic invoices and integrated solutions for cross-border electronic payments. Support the development of digital renminbi global settlement centers within banking systems.

- Leverage trade fairs to promote business: Continue hosting major events like the World Artificial Intelligence Conference, the Pujiang Innovation Forum, the North Bund Forum, the China (Shanghai) International Technology Fair and the China Digital Entertainment Expo & Conference (ChinaJoy). Support businesses to participate in well-known international exhibitions. Further leverage the promotional impact of the China International Import Expo, the China International Fair for Trade in Services and the Global Digital Trade Expo.

Source: General Office of the Shanghai Municipal People's Government