On January 7, delegates attending the Seventh Session of the 17th Yangpu District People's Congress deliberated on the government work report in groups. Their candid expressions of feelings, experiences, ideas, and discussions on development reflected their passion and dedication to serving the people.

The delegates unanimously agreed that the report is ambitious, clear in its strategy, and filled with highlights. It summarizes achievements realistically, analyzes problems comprehensively and thoroughly, and sets practical and achievable goals, fully reflecting the new spirit and actions Yangpu has demonstrated on the new journey in the new era.

Driving Digital Economy Growth to Create an Innovation Hub

As an emerging industry, the digital economy has become a crucial driver for global economic growth. Over the past year, Yangpu's digital economy has flourished. The revenues of software and information technology service companies above designated size increased by 13.6% from January to November, reaching over 290 billion yuan, accounting for about one fifth of the city's total.

Yangpu is home to more than 8,000 digital economy enterprises, and the digital economy has maintained double-digit growth for five consecutive years, representing nearly one fifth of the city's total scale. Delegate Chen Wan'gao noted that these figures are encouraging. He suggested further leveraging the abundant resources of universities to provide the district with a wealth of high-quality talents and research findings. By creating a knowledge economy circle, Yangpu can enhance collaboration between universities and enterprises in industry, academia, and research, accelerating the commercialization of technological achievements. Additionally, talent policies should be refined to attract and retain talents.

In recent years, the digital economy has emerged as a crucial driver for global economic growth. Yangpu has taken the lead in the city in digital transformation, innovation and entrepreneurship, and the development of emerging industries, with a comprehensive ecosystem for technological innovation and a rich array of application scenarios.

Delegate Chang Guangzhao suggested that to further tap into the potential of the digital economy, it is essential to establish rigorous standards and regulations throughout the data lifecycle, including collection, transmission, storage, and analysis, to safeguard data security and personal privacy effectively. Additionally, the digital economy sector should develop a cross-departmental and cross-regional data exchange platform to facilitate the flow of valuable data, thereby enhancing government decision-making, corporate innovation, and public services. Yangpu is home to prestigious universities such as Fudan University, Tongji University, and Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, which are rich in intellectual and talent resources. In advancing the development of the digital economy, Yangpu should strengthen collaboration between industry, academia, and research. By leveraging the academic and technological strengths of these institutions, Yangpu can support enterprises in conducting technological research and development and validating scenarios.

Enhancing the Business Environment to Boost Corporate Development

In 2024, Yangpu released the 7.0 version of the business environment reform plan, featuring 150 measures. It issued the city's first food business management license on the spot and initiated the district's first pilot project of architect responsibility system with foreign investment, continuously enriching the connotation of the "warmest district" brand in the business environment.

Delegate Xu Wanhua highlighted that the government work report centers on economic development and well-being governance, maintaining a steady and progressive approach. He proposed that sub-districts should enhance outreach to enterprises within their jurisdictions and continuously refine their operational mechanisms and methods. By offering comprehensive and meticulous services, they can foster the warmest business environment to support regional economic development.

The report frequently mentioned innovation and high-quality development. According to delegate Yin Ying, enterprises, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), are the primary drivers of innovation. "They possess a stronger drive for innovation, can seize market trends more swiftly, operate with greater flexibility, and make decisions more decisively." She advocated for the government to develop preferential policies for technology-oriented SMEs in areas such as financing, taxation, application for status of sci-tech projects, and talent introduction, while also intensifying policy promotion and guidance. By applying investment banking thinking to identify and nurture high-growth enterprises, we can create a dynamic and thriving ecosystem akin to a formation of wild geese in flight, supporting the high-quality development of Yangpu.

Delegate Wu Xiujuan suggested that policies and platforms should be established to encourage key enterprises to expand through mergers and acquisitions, thereby strengthening and completing industrial chains. Additionally, platforms should be built between innovative enterprises and university researchers to empower researchers through corporate support, guiding enterprises in exploring research findings with commercial potential. Support should also be provided for enterprises to specialize in niche markets, incubate and nurture more innovative tech companies, and better understand the evolving needs of enterprises. It is suggested to offer services that address the needs of enterprises expanding globally, such as policy support, funding, and labor resources, leveraging Yangpu's existing international platforms and resources (establishing overseas channels, etc.).

Enhancing Urban Quality to Create a Livable and Commerce-Friendly Environment

In recent years, Yangpu has consistently prioritized creating a comfortable and livable environment for its residents. It has vigorously advanced organic urban renewal, focusing on the details of urban governance, continuously improving the environment and enhancing functions to promote the integrated development of production, life, and ecology.

The most distinctive feature of New Jiangwan City Sub-district is the "integrated development of blue waters and green spaces", where the coverage rate of greenery and water areas reaches 46.81%. Delegate Hu Yuanhui believed that with the full opening of New Jiangwan City Cultural and Sports Park last year, the next step is to consider how to further enhance opening-up and coordinate the harmony of the people and the environment. In this regard, he proposed a balanced approach to protection and utilization, emphasizing a people-centered strategy while strictly adhering to the ecological environment baseline, ensuring that resources are utilized for the benefit of the public. Additionally, it is crucial to coordinate management and governance efforts, with strict prohibitions against illegal operations, water pollution, and net fishing. "Moving forward, we intend to organize a series of community events at the sports center and extreme sports park, featuring water sports, extreme sports, road running, and cycling. These events and activities are designed to boost community cohesion and engagement, thereby elevating the overall quality of life in New Jiangwan City."

"The urban landscape has been revitalized and enhanced, with 333 elevators successfully installed in existing multi-story residential buildings," said delegate Shi Lei. With the passage of time and increased usage, problems such as elevator aging inevitably arise. There is currently a lack of consensus among residents regarding elevator safety; some feel the elevators are still serviceable, while others believe they require replacement. It is suggested that a unified standard for elevator operational safety be promptly established, implementing a tiered and categorized system for elevator maintenance and replacement. Concurrently, a mechanism for sharing best practices should be developed to address both common and specific issues across different communities.

Other delegates suggested that there should be an increased focus on urban greening and beautification to enhance the city's image. This could be achieved by expanding green areas and developing unique landscapes, thereby making the city more aesthetically pleasing and livable.

Proactively Addressing Burning Issues to Enhance Residents' Happiness

How to effectively address "key minor issues" and "matters concerning the people's well-being" and to transform the "new practices of a people's city" into tangible and accessible benefits for the public, has always been a key focus for delegates.

The report contains many elements closely connected with the governance of the people's well-being. Delegate Zhou Qiang suggested that this year, the focus should be on developing an intelligent property management alliance platform to elevate the quality and productivity of property services. "Convert property maintenance into a one-stop service. By making a single call, numerous maintenance personnel can bid for orders on the platform, thereby fully utilizing their responsiveness. Many maintenance tasks are intricate and challenging, but through the alliance platform, professional resources can be swiftly matched to address these issues, effectively enhancing the efficiency of resolution and reducing the rate of complaints from property owners."

"The district government work report frequently mentioned the industrial chain," said delegate Xun Hongjun. He suggested that Yangpu Central Hospital should extend its reach to neighboring residential areas and actively develop community hospitals to ease the issue of long queues at hospitals. This will involve decentralizing medical resources to the community level, increasing financial and equipment investment, and enhancing the operational capacity of these resources, thereby allowing patients to save time when accessing medical care.

To further improve public welfare, other delegates suggested that there should be a focus on the renovation and management of old residential areas to enhance living conditions for residents. It is suggested that this could be accomplished by attracting social capital and comprehensively renovating old residential areas, thereby improving the living environment for the residents.

Promoting the Development of the Culture and Tourism Industry to Create a Distinctive Brand

The Wujiaochang business district has been included as one of the core areas of Shanghai's international consumer center. Shanghai UMAX has transformed into the "ZX Creative Space", a new dimensional cultural hub, and Daxue Road's time-limited pedestrian street has seen a weekend peak of over 100,000 visitors...Currently, the integration of commerce, tourism, culture, and sports in Yangpu is accelerating. By capturing new consumption trends and emphasizing the features of "youthfulness, immersion, and digitalization", the "Digital Yangpu" consumer brand is being promoted.

Delegate Chen Lidan noted that while the economy appears to be thriving on a macro level, it is crucial to consider how to boost public confidence and stimulate effective consumption at the micro level. She suggested that the report should further clarify the composition of economic data to offer a clearer understanding of the benefits brought by the development of Yangpu's digital economy. She hoped that in 2025, measures will be introduced to promote effective consumption, including offering incentives, and leveraging the visa-free policy benefits to attract more domestic and international tourists and consumers, allowing Yangpu to "stand out".

Regarding the report's mention of further enhancing Yangpu's vitality and attracting more people from home and abroad to Yangpu for sightseeing and exchanges, delegate Zhang Jinpu believed that Yangpu can leverage the advantages of Yangpu's numerous universities and innovative enterprises to develop the unique tourism and exchange feature of Yangpu, creating a distinct appeal. It is necessary to further build a relaxing and inclusive consumption atmosphere, make good use of existing commercial carriers such as Daxue Road, Wujiaochang, and MEET678, and intensify the marketing of consumer promotion activities at traditional festivals and other time nodes. At the same time, Yangpu will further narrate the century-old legacy of Jiangwan Stadium, improve the use experience of facilities and equipment, and integrate ancient architecture with modern sports culture, to attract more consumers.

"Oriental Fisherman's Wharf is the only commercial hub in Yangpu Riverside, primarily featuring dining, retail, and entertainment. During the 'May Day' Golden Week in 2024, the wharf's total sales reached approximately 3.17 million yuan, and during the 'National Day' Golden Week, its revenues surpassed 15 million yuan," noted delegate Zhang Chunmei. She suggested expanding the geographical boundaries of the Oriental Fisherman's Wharf to Qinhuangdao Road, integrating CCCG's and Douyin's headquarters buildings in Yangpu Riverside into a cohesive network. This integration will facilitate the full sharing, joint development, and mutual benefit of waterfront resources, thereby enhancing the status of the Yangpu Riverside life belt and the unique charm of this area.