Changning district in Shanghai is enhancing its business environment, with its GDP reaching 278.9 billion yuan ($38.17 billion) in 2024, exceeding 250 billion yuan for the first time.

The district hosted a conference on enhancing the business environment in 2025 on Feb 8, focusing on areas like data application, global expansion support, and talent services to cultivate a distinct business identity.

Shanghai Westwell Information and Technology Co, an innovator in new energy for autonomous driving, praised Changning's "going global" strategy, emphasizing its impact on the company's business. The company serves over 200 clients across 28 countries and regions.

"Changning district played a key role in addressing the issue of high upfront R&D costs for us. Its practical approach of 'responding promptly and not causing unnecessary disruptions' is ideal for our company," said Zhou Yuxiang, founder of Black Lake Technology. The enterprise assists over 32,000 factories in China with digital transformation and saw a growth rate of over 60 percent last year.

In January, Changning facilitated the establishment of the city's first foreign-funded enterprise registered with a foreign permanent residence permit, paving the way for foreign high-level talent to invest and conduct business in Shanghai.

Source: shanghai.gov.cn