Guest
Wu Qi'nan
Interview Background
By consolidating science and technology innovation resources to spearhead the development of strategic emerging industries and future industries, the Science, Technology, and Economy Commission (STEC) of Jing'an District has implemented the Science and Technology Innovation Momentum Enhancement Plan in recent years. Through six specialized initiatives, it has infused robust technological impetus into creating an urban exemplar of Chinese modernization.
Host:
Hello, everyone. Today, we are honored to have with us Mr. Wu Qi'nan, Secretary of the Leading Party Members Group and Director of the Science, Technology, and Economy Commission of Jing'an District. Welcome, Mr. Wu!
Wu Qi'nan:
Hello, host. Hello, everyone.
Host:
By consolidating science and technology innovation resources to spearhead the development of strategic emerging industries and future industries, the STEC has implemented the Science and Technology Innovation Momentum Enhancement Plan in recent years. Through six specialized initiatives, it has infused robust technological impetus into creating an urban exemplar of Chinese modernization. Mr. Wu, could you elaborate on the initiative to "foster a competitive hub for the biopharmaceutical industry"?
Wu Qi'nan:
Certainly. The biopharmaceutical industry is one of Shanghai's three prioritized strategic industries and a key component in establishing the city as an international hub for scientific and technological innovation. Within Shanghai's biopharmaceutical industrial landscape, Jing'an District—as the city's central urban zone—demonstrates pronounced competitive advantages in life sciences development, with key indicators like industrial revenue growth rate ranking among the highest municipal-wide.
Host:
Indeed, statistics show that 14 of the world's top 50 pharmaceutical enterprises have established operations in Jing'an. Between 2021 and 2023, the district maintained steady growth in the life sciences sector, achieving the second-highest revenue scale among central urban areas.
Wu Qi'nan:
Yes. Taking AstraZeneca, a global leader in pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, as an example, established its global R&D China center in Jing'an District in 2021. Earlier this year, it officially announced Shanghai as its fifth global strategic hub, alongside Cambridge (UK) and Boston (US). Within its headquarters building in Jing'an, AstraZeneca has developed the Shanghai International Life Science Innovation Park (Shanghai iCampus). Within just over a year, the park has attracted nearly 20 innovative enterprises and teams working in fields such as gene therapy, AI-driven drug R&D, and flexible robotics.
Host:
Thank you for this briefing. Jing'an District possesses distinctive advantages in leveraging AI to empower drug R&D, accelerating the translation of scientific achievements into preclinical research, and facilitating the demonstration and commercialization of innovative products. Additionally, the district boasts abundant medical resources and strategically located industrial/R&D land; it is a rare asset in the city's central urban areas.
Wu Qi'nan:
We will capitalize on these strengths by harnessing the leadership and influence of flagship healthcare enterprises to drive convergent innovation between the life sciences and data intelligence industries. Strategic focus will be placed on niche sectors, including digital healthcare and synthetic biology, to establish Jing'an District as a distinctive hub in the future-oriented health industry.
Host:
Could you elaborate on Jing'an's strategic initiatives in "pioneering new frontiers of the data intelligence industry"?
Wu Qi'nan:
Certainly. Driverless metro systems, automated departure frequency calculations... Established in 1986, CASCO Signal Co., Ltd. holds over 31% of the Chinese market share in urban rail signaling systems, solidifying its position as the industry leader in rail transit signaling. The growth trajectory of CASCO mirrors the developmental history of the data intelligence industry in Jing'an District.
Wu Qi'nan:
Over the past decade, Jing'an District has consistently pursued an integrated development strategy of "Cloud-Data-Intelligence-Chain" in its science and technology innovation sector. By capitalizing on the macro-trends of digital economy development, we have fostered robust growth in the data intelligence industry, with big data and blockchain as representative sectors.
Host:
As the city's sole national demonstration base of new industrialization big data industry, Jing'an District hosts one-third of Shanghai's core big data enterprises, with the big data sector's benchmark effects becoming increasingly prominent.
Wu Qi'nan:
Yes. As the sole national comprehensive pilot zone for blockchain innovation and application in Shanghai, Jing'an District has attracted nearly 100 blockchain-related enterprises and institutions. It will further develop the "National Blockchain Application Demonstration Zone" with an application-oriented innovation ecosystem, known as the "Digital Connectivity Blockchain Valley", to continuously enhance the concentration and influence of the blockchain industry. Additionally, Jing'an District has clustered dynamic science and technology innovation enterprises specializing in AI applications, including Marketingforce, INTSIG, XPeng Motors, Tianyi Digital Life, XHOLO Technology, ONEAIX Technologies, and YOGO ROBOT, contributing to the rapid development of the AI industry.
Host:
Thank you for this briefing. Looking ahead, how will you cultivate future industrial clusters that embody the distinctive features of Jing'an District?
Wu Qi'nan:
As the core functional hub for science and technology innovation in Jing'an District, Shibei Hi-Tech Park spans a planned area of 3.31 square kilometers. Its eastern section, designated as the International Science and Technology Innovation Community, will progressively introduce 400,000 square meters of premium office space alongside 800,000 square meters of high-end residential properties, talent apartments, commercial amenities, educational facilities, and other supporting infrastructure. This development represents a key science and technology innovation platform that Jing'an District has prioritized in recent years.
Wu Qi'nan:
Wu Qi'nan:
In addition to the Shibei Hi-tech Park, other functional zones in Jing'an District each maintain a distinct positioning in scientific and technological innovation. The Daning functional zone serves as an expansion area, prioritizing three strategic emerging industries: integrated circuits, digital security, and smart healthcare. The Suzhou Creek Bay functional zone acts as a supporting area, leveraging its strengths in financial and professional services. Meanwhile, the West Nanjing Road functional zone functions as a radiating hub to drive the opening of digital application scenarios, promote cutting-edge digital technologies, and empower traditional industries.
Host:
Currently, Jing'an District boasts one national-level university science and technology park, four national-level technology-based enterprise incubators, three national-level maker spaces, and 24 municipal-level cultural and creative industry parks. The district strategically emphasizes core strengths in future information technologies such as intelligent computing and cybersecurity, while fostering development in emerging sectors like future healthcare and future energy. This initiative aims to cultivate a distinctive future-oriented industrial cluster that embodies Jing'an's unique characteristics.
Wu Qi'nan:
Yes. Moving forward, the Commission will fully implement the guiding principles of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee and President Xi Jinping's important instructions during his inspection in Shanghai. Aligned with the key priorities of the CPC Jing'an District Committee and Jing'an District People's Government, we will pursue the strategic objective of "strengthening science and technology innovation momentum" by concentrating on digital economy, life sciences, and emerging sectors. Our efforts will focus on elevating enterprises' leading role in technological innovation, optimizing full-cycle management of science and technology innovation, and enhancing the overall effectiveness of innovation-driven industrial development. We will accelerate the cultivation of new quality productive forces and foster new growth drivers for high-quality development, thereby providing robust technological support for building Jing'an into an exemplary modern international district that showcases Chinese modernization.
Host:
Thank you for sharing! This concludes today's interview. Thanks for your time.
Wu Qi'nan:
Thank you all! Goodbye!