"We're going through our most challenging period. Amid the ongoing tariff war, our company's business volume has taken a temporary hit. Yet, at this crucial moment, the district committee's top leadership has extended their concern, helping us assess the development landscape and address the obstacles in our development. Their timely support has truly warmed our hearts."

Recently, at the inaugural event of the 2025 "People's Deliberation Hall" democratic practice YOUNG series, the speech by Ge Jizhong, Chairman of Oujian Group, captured the spotlight.

Over 100 deputies to the municipal and district people's congresses, local entrepreneurs, experts, and scholars gathered at this open exchange event, engaging in democratic discussions. Under the themes of "precision, responsiveness, and inclusiveness", they explored how the "warmest district" refines its policies ("additions, subtractions, multiplications, and divisions") to enhance the sense of gain for businesses.

"Warmth" Arouses New Vitality

Where do the leaders of enterprises in our district think the "warmth" should be felt in creating the "warmest urban area"?

"Warmth means knowing boundaries - leaving us alone when we don't need help, but always being there when we do."

"Warmth is fairness, creating a space where everyone can thrive and be happy." "Warmth is being inclusive, with room for mistakes and easy exits."

"Warmth is the support and confidence the government gives when my business hits a rough patch."

…

In February, Shanghai released the 8.0 version of the plan for improving the business environment, with an emphasis on "enhancing the sense of gain for businesses". Expectations and demands from the demand side are now at the center of the latest efforts to improve the business environment.

The Standing Committee of the Yangpu District People's Congress presented a cloud map of corporate demands collected through its prior surveys. "Could the government please show more tolerance and support for the growth of emerging enterprises?" "We need the government to offer operational guidance to help small and micro businesses reduce their burdens and boost their capabilities." "It would be great if the government could help shorten the financing cycle for companies." "We also suggest enhancing the attractiveness to top technical talents." These demands touch on every aspect of business development, ranging from policy support and government services to market expansion and talent development. Each one highlights the challenges and obstacles that companies face during their growth.

At the scene, the participants eagerly took turns to speak, sparking a lively exchange of ideas. The entrepreneurs and representatives delved into the government's pro-enterprise policies through detailed questions, uncovering solutions to the challenges and obstacles that companies face.

For Ge, leading a traditional customs declaration company through its current challenges, a clear path forward has emerged. Leveraging Yangpu's strengths in the digital economy, he is exploring the use of "digital employees" to replace manual order-taking tasks. "Our pilot tests show this solution can boost processing capacity five-to-sevenfold," Ge revealed, while acknowledging developing such a system is challenging for a traditional firm. "Leading enterprises in the district could potentially lend us a hand," he noted. "We also hope the district can use its platform economy to empower traditional enterprises like ours, helping us tap into their 'traffic' and raise awareness of our customs declaration platform."

Charting the Path to the Optimal Business Environment

This year has seen both the Central Government and the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee convene symposiums for private enterprises and conferences on promoting the high-quality development of the private sector. Addressing the key challenges and issues highlighted by private businesses, Shanghai has unveiled a comprehensive set of 26 measures across six areas, titled Measures for Promoting the High-Quality Development of the Private Economy in the New Era and on a New Journey, aiming to tackle the "real problems" faced by enterprises. Yangpu has swiftly taken action, implementing relevant directives and improving the business environment to make the "warmest district" even more welcoming.

"Throughout its renovation and launch, Bailian ZX Fun Center has benefited from significant government backing. Many of our tenants are new to the shopping mall scene and were initially very unsure about the procedures for move-in and license application. The government stepped in with proactive services and precise guidance. They also provided robust support in terms of venues for IP events. This enabled our tenants to smoothly welcome the winter vacation peak in ACGN consumption and successfully transformed the mall from a traditional department store into an ACGN hub, boosting our brand influence," said Hu Ting, Deputy General Manager of Bailian ZX Fun Center.

Yangpu is constantly enhancing the service package system for key enterprises in science parks. The district was the first to introduce the "simultaneous issuance of three documents" mechanism for enterprise-related administrative law enforcement. Additionally, it has assembled a credit service team to ensure seamless delivery of credit-related services down to the final mile. It has also introduced the "3310" talent attraction plan. The "warmth" of our "warmest district" continues to grow.

As we step up our services, Yangpu is cutting red tape, speeding up procedures, and minimizing visits for businesses, the 8.0 version of Yangpu's plan for improving the business environment aims to make things simpler and faster. It offers a streamlined approach to getting things done, with special services like "green channels" and "flexible acceptance" to make the process easier for businesses, said Jiang Minchen. Over a decade ago, he returned from overseas with just 100,000 yuan to start a business - Shanghai BiCi Information Technology Co., Ltd. in Shanghai. He reflected on his entrepreneurial journey in Yangpu. Now, his company, which began as a solo endeavor, has blossomed into a team of over a hundred. From a tiny seed, it has taken root and become a small but sturdy tree. He believed that his company will one day stand tall as a mighty tree in Yangpu.

"It is advised to concentrate on the chain leader economy to boost its integration, amplify communication, and foster the synergistic development of the chain leader ecosystem." "We should eliminate policy obstacles to encourage the clustering of the entire industry chain, from upstream to downstream." "Our immediate priority is to innovate and transform, and we seek technological support from top-tier Internet companies." During the event, the entrepreneurs actively engaged in discussions, identified potential partners, and broadened their networks. Through the concentration of major enterprises and universities, Yangpu is also actively integrating resources and constructing platforms. By tailoring mechanisms like the "service package" for key enterprises to accommodate their unique features and shared needs, the district aims to attract more upstream and downstream enterprises in the industry chain. This will drive the clustering of businesses in Yangpu and brought about a quantum leap in regional development efficiency.

In engaging with businesses, Yangpu consistently upholds the principle of "no disturbance unless needed, and prompt response to all requests". The district has introduced a roster for "unobtrusive monitoring" and a catalog for "non-disturbance" matters, ensuring that its support reaches enterprises precisely when and where they need it most. It is also continuously refining its inclusive and prudent regulatory framework. In sectors like market regulation and transportation, it has implemented policies for penalty waivers and reductions, enabling entrepreneurs to concentrate fully on their business operations.

Rule of Law Consolidates the Foundation of the Business Environment

The rule of law is the cornerstone of the optimal business environment. At this discussion, it was a hot topic. During this year's NPC & CPPCC annual sessions, deputies to the municipal and district people's congresses all came up with ideas on how to make our business environment even better. They stressed that the rule of law needs to play a leading role, set clear standards, and provide solid protection.

"I've got a saying for you: 'Support the old and help the young'. We've got plenty of long-standing businesses that are the backbone of our district. They've kept us stable all this time. When these older companies hit new challenges, we need to back them up with strong legal support. If our legal protection is both warm and powerful, it'll do wonders for creating jobs and keeping our society stable," said a deputy at the event.

"Introducing an administrative inspection code for businesses is essentially showing credentials during checks. Relevant departments are advised to spread the word effectively; otherwise, businesses won't know what a proper and compliant credential display looks like." Both the Yangpu Bureau of Justice and the Yangpu Administration for Market Regulation responded to the concerns raised by entrepreneurs at the scene. To make sure inspections are done right, Yangpu has set up a district taskforce. We've also rolled out a plan to improve how we inspect businesses, following a simple rule: no inspection without a code, always show the code during an inspection, and let businesses evaluate afterward."

This year, the Yangpu District People's Congress will also collaborate with the Shanghai Municipal People's Congress on an enforcement inspection of the Shanghai's Regulations on Improving the Business Environment. This initiative not only reinforces the role of the rule of law in safeguarding a positive business environment but also addresses the critical concerns of businesses.

This year, the Standing Committee of the Yangpu District People's Congress has advanced the "People's Deliberation Hall" democratic practice to its 3.0 version. The scope has broadened from addressing critical minor issues related to the people's well-being to tackling significant matters concerning overall development. The approach has also shifted from engaging community residents in problem identification and suggestion submission to consolidating the collaborative efforts of the three zones to offer practical insights and valuable strategies. Moreover, the initiative has evolved from merely creating platforms for communication and consensus building to ensuring that deliberations yield decisions, prompt action, and produce tangible outcomes. The innovative "YOUNG" series of "People's Deliberation Hall" has been introduced to guide and enhance the grassroots consultation mechanism of the people's congress, fostering a culture of consultation that is open to everyone, anytime, anywhere, and on any issue. It will create a more inclusive, open, and orderly landscape for people's deliberation, contributing actively to Yangpu's efforts in deepening reforms, advancing Chinese modernization, and leading the way in creating the best practices for a people's city.