On February 19, Xinhua News Agency's "City Reading" series turned its lens to Yangpu District, delving into the rich interplay of history and modernity that defines its character. The feature highlights how Yangpu has embraced the people's city concept, made strategic decisions, and carved a path toward a vibrant future. It also looks ahead, envisioning how Yangpu will cultivate cutting-edge industries and elevate the well-being of its residents. Dive into the full story and discover the essence of Yangpu's transformation!

Exploring Yangpu: a people's city in bloom

Yangpu, the oldest stretch along the Huangpu River, is a place where history and modernity converge. Its landscape, once dominated by century-old factories and warehouses that housed hundreds of thousands of industrial workers, now thrives with youthful energy. Today, it boasts the highest density of specialized, refined, and innovative enterprises in downtown Shanghai. As the city's most populous district, Yangpu's streets and alleys radiate the charm of a people-first urban model - a vision of the "Greater Yangpu" deeply cherished by Shanghai's residents.

In 2019, during his inspection tour of Shanghai, President Xi Jinping first articulated the vision that "a people's city built by the people should serve the people". In 2024, in a letter to all the members of the "Old Poplar Tree Lecture Group" in Yangpu, Xi reaffirmed this guiding principle.

Yangpu serves as both a district designation and the name of a river. The Yangshupu River, a tributary of the Huangpu River, winds its way 4.5 kilometers from the northwest to the southeast, enriching the land it traverses. Its advantageous position for water transportation helped it become a cradle of modern national industry. In this area, hundreds of thousands of industrial workers accomplished more than ten pioneering achievements in China's national industry, such as establishing the first water plant and the first power plant.

At its zenith, Yangpu teemed with as many as 600,000 industrial workers, their labors marked by the ceaseless roar of machinery.

Along the Yangpu Riverside, the Shanghai Shipyard site stands as a testament to this legacy. It was here that the first 800-ton floating dock, the first ten-thousand-ton export ship "Shaoxing" and the first semi-submersible drilling platform "Exploration 3" in New China were built.

Ge Jun, former Deputy Chief Economist of Shanghai Shipyard, embarked on his career journey at the age of 17, stepping into the same shipyard where both his grandfather and father had previously toiled. As a third-generation shipyard worker, he climbed the corporate ladder from a grassroots maintenance electrician to a managerial role. His proudest achievement is the shipyard's record of being the top ship repairer in China for over 40 years, from 1949 to 1992.

The essence of innovation is deeply ingrained in the heritage of Yangpu's residents, passed down through the ages. Yangpu is the birthplace of legendary brands such as "Forever" and "Phoenix" bicycles, as well as "Shanghai" watches, earning it the distinguished title of "Industrial Yangpu".

As the relentless wave of progress surges ahead, the imperative for industrial evolution becomes undeniable. The inhabitants of Yangpu, with a keen eye on the shifting landscape, understand that embracing changes and making decisive strategic moves are essential to forging a prosperous path forward.

Building Yangpu Knowledge Innovation Zone!

Home to renowned universities like Fudan University, Tongji University, and Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, Yangpu has embraced three guiding principles: to generously allocate prime land for university expansion, to forgo lucrative commercial and real estate projects in favor of university science parks, and to invest significant resources in improving the entrepreneurial environment.

The "three commitments" fuel the innovation journey for 180,000 young students and entrepreneurs across the country. Presently, Yangpu is home to seven national university science parks, representing half of Shanghai's total.

A story is still cherished by many: In 2016, a crucial choice loomed over 8 Jiannian Road in Yangpu. While the prospect of erecting office skyscrapers was tempting, the decision-makers opted to convert this prime location into a low-density university science park. Now, the 100,000-square-meter Shanghai University of Finance & Economics Science Park stands as a testament to that vision, generating an annual output value in the tens of billions of yuan. This low-density approach has proven to be a catalyst for high-intensity innovation.

From its roots as "Industrial Yangpu" to its evolution into "Knowledge Yangpu", and now its ascent as "Innovation Yangpu", the district has unwaveringly pursued its goal: to carve out a platform for innovation and creativity, regardless of spatial constraints. This relentless drive has been the cornerstone of Yangpu's metamorphosis.

Innovation demands audacity. In the current era of burgeoning future industries, Yangpu remains at the forefront. Picture a drone soaring over elevated roads, delivering a cup of bubble tea to a delighted customer in a mere eight minutes. The burgeoning low-altitude economy has taken off from this very district. This achievement is underpinned by the district authorities' collaboration with over a dozen entities, ensuring that every creative concept receives the support it needs to flourish.

Innovation is a symphony of collective effort. "To draw in new industries and foster creativity, we must treasure every 'spark of genius' and see it through to fruition," said Li Zhengming, Director of the Yangpu Science, Technology and Economy Commission.

A forward-looking perspective underscores the sagacity of these decisions. By 2024, Yangpu's software and information services sector had grown to represent one fifth of the city's total revenues. In the past year alone, the number of digital economy enterprises has skyrocketed by over 1,000, surpassing 8,000. With its sound entrepreneurial ecosystem, business-friendly policies, and a reservoir of high-caliber talents, Yangpu has attracted Internet giants such as Douyin and Meituan, metamorphosing Yangshupu into "Digital Yangpu".

From a foundation of bustling machinery to a nucleus of widespread innovation, Yangpu's dynamism persists. One in every four permanent residents in Yangpu is a young individual aged 18 to 35. Less known is the fact that Bilibili and Dewu, platforms where the youth gather, are both headquartered here. "Vibrant Yangpu" has emerged as a defining hallmark of the district.

Bestowing the richest resources and spaces upon its people.

Yangpu Riverside, often referred to as the "Corridor of Chinese Modern Industrial Civilization", was a cluster of factories that obscured the river from its inhabitants. In a remarkable transformation, these industrial vestiges have been repurposed into a corridor of exhibits, and the riverside has evolved into a vibrant expanse dominated by parks, verdant spaces, and open areas, intricately woven into the fabric of everyday life.

Golden archways and unadorned white walls with red tiles - two rows of twelve two-story buildings stand in orderly fashion. This is Neighborhood 228, the Yangpu "20,000 Households" historical style residence, preserving the collective memory of the workers' communities from the early days of New China.

Once, this was the coveted home of industrial workers. Over the years, the pride of gleaming windows and spotless floors gradually faded, replaced by the inconvenience of shared kitchens and bathrooms and cramped living quarters.

"During the revitalization of Neighborhood 228, we distributed thousands of questionnaires to gather input. Whatever the residents desired, we made it a reality," said Sun Hui, Secretary of the Party Work Committee of Changbai Xincun Sub-district, where Neighborhood 228 is situated.

Regardless of a city's size, it must possess the ability to embrace the minutiae of daily life, such as "soy milk and fried dough sticks". In 2015, Neighborhood 228 was selected for the first batch of urban renewal demonstration projects in Shanghai, with the goal of creating a "15-minute community life circle" as a model initiative centered on "clothing, food, housing, and transportation".

"Previously, we and our neighbors would cultivate patches of land to grow vegetables. Now, those vegetable plots have transformed into lush lawns, and the old houses into modern homes. Neighborhood 228 feels like our very own 'Shangri-La in Yangpu'," said local resident Ju Chunying.

Residents of the historic urban areas have waved goodbye to the "tenement" lifestyle, complete with the chore of chamber pot disposal, while those in older buildings have celebrated the addition of elevators. The concept of "joyful aging" now comprehensively addresses the "silver-haired" population's needs for meal support, medical companionship, and healthcare. White-collar professionals can indulge in a diverse array of premium breakfast options daily, and the "15-minute community life circle" has delivered happiness directly to residents' thresholds. Amidst the urban renewal process, the contentment of average citizens is now effortlessly attainable.

Hence, a "Greater Yangpu" has emerged as the times require. Within the aged walls of former industrial complexes, the rhythmic tapping of keyboards resonates, as future-oriented industries take shape amidst industrial remnants. In the gyms of the workers' communities, elderly residents engage in morning jogs, while young professionals energetically pump iron at night. The past is indelibly preserved in this landscape, while the narrative of tomorrow is simultaneously being scripted.

As the calendar page turned, Yangpu's Fuxing Island, the only enclosed islet nestled within the Huangpu River's embrace, witnessed the arrival of a new array of builders. Guided by the vision of "Quantum City: Space-Time Innovation", these pioneers are determined to transform this land into a futuristic city, envisioning it as a "digital island", "design island", and "people's island".

Where the heart resides, the city flourishes there. From an aerial perspective, the Huangpu River carves a graceful "crescent moon" through Yangpu's landscape. Yet it is the people who hold the power to shape and claim the future.