Shanghai has released an implementation plan to accelerate the development of its national pilot zone for digital economy innovation, aiming to make significant progress by 2028.

The plan focuses on unlocking the value of data elements, upgrading digital infrastructure, promoting the digital transformation of trade, shipping, and finance, expanding international cooperation, and building industry and talent hubs.

Unlocking data value to support AI innovation

Shanghai will strengthen the development and use of high-quality datasets, with a focus on key sectors such as healthcare and high-end manufacturing.

These datasets will support industry-specific models and AI agents, while helping to build a comprehensive, hub-type, and strategic corpus base for large-parameter multimodal foundation models.

Shanghai will also promote the integration and application of data from government, industry, academia, and research institutions, creating benchmark application scenarios in areas such as finance, healthcare, commerce, transport, green and low-carbon development, and urban governance.

Upgrading digital infrastructure

Shanghai will upgrade its digital infrastructure by strengthening blockchain networks, improving the scheduling and allocation of computing resources, and developing satellite internet and low-altitude intelligent connected systems.

The city will advance the Shanghai hub of the national blockchain network, enhance capabilities such as distributed digital identity, privacy computing, and cross-chain services, and promote blockchain-enabled trusted data service centers in areas including customs, taxation, maritime affairs, and foreign exchange management.

Shanghai will also promote the interconnection of computing resources across the Yangtze River Delta and support on-demand computing power allocation. It will accelerate the development of the Qianfan satellite constellation and promote commercial trials of satellite internet services and satellite internet of things (IoT) services. Additionally, it will also support the development of low-altitude intelligent connected infrastructure for civilian unmanned aircraft.

Promoting digital trade, shipping, and finance

Shanghai will promote the digital transformation of trade, shipping, and finance, with a focus on global supply chains, digital trade documents, cross-border e-commerce, commodity trading, and logistics services.

The city will develop a global supply chain digital management platform, providing public services such as credit enhancement for financing, trade document circulation, intelligent tax refund services, and carbon data services.

It will also expand the use of electronic warehouse receipts and electronic bills of lading, and support the development of the Shanghai International Trade Single Window into an international trade document exchange hub.

In the financial sector, Shanghai will encourage the use of blockchain infrastructure in cross-border renminbi clearing and settlement, promote end-to-end on-chain applications for electronic letters of credit, and develop on-chain credit services to support financing for small, medium-sized, and micro enterprises.

Expanding the digital economy, opening up, and cooperation

Shanghai will expand high-level opening-up in the digital economy by deepening regional and international cooperation.

The city will promote digital trade and shipping cooperation across the YRD region, accelerate the development of an integrated data market, promote mutual recognition among data service providers, and improve the interoperability of rules and standards.

Shanghai will also steadily expand pilot programs for opening up value-added telecommunications services, innovate its cross-border data management model through a negative list and operational guidelines, and expand the application of the negative list for outbound data transfers across Shanghai.

Shanghai will deepen cooperation with the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and Singapore in areas such as digital identity authentication, data element markets, and cross-border access to government services. It will also make better use of platforms such as the World Artificial Intelligence Conference and the Global Data Ecosystem Conference to strengthen digital economy cooperation.

Building industry clusters and talent hubs

Shanghai will develop digital industry clusters in areas such as data, blockchain, and AI, while strengthening cooperation across the YRD region.

Different districts will focus on distinctive strengths. Pudong New Area will pilot reforms in foundational data systems, Xuhui will focus on the synergy between blockchain and AI technologies, Yangpu will promote data applications by platform enterprises, and Putuo will strengthen data industry cooperation along the Shanghai-Nanjing corridor.

Shanghai will also support the high-level development of the Lin-gang International Data Economy Industrial Park. The Lin-gang Special Area will accelerate efforts to become an international data processing hub, develop new forms of international data trade, and improve cross-border data infrastructure.

The city will promote digital talent development, support relevant universities in Shanghai in establishing blockchain schools and developing new models for industry-education integrated training, advance independent professional title evaluation at key research institutions in the AI sector, and step up efforts to attract top-tier overseas professionals.