A work meeting for the Hongqiao International Opening-up Hub was held in Shanghai on March 20, during which participants reviewed the hub's accomplishments and charted a path forward.
The hub covers an area of 7,000 square kilometers in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region, encompassing Shanghai and parts of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui provinces.
Over the past four years, collaborative efforts among Shanghai and the three provinces have led to significant development milestones.
The hub's GDP reached 3.2 trillion yuan ($440 billion) last year, an increase of nearly 1 trillion yuan from four years ago, with an economic density of 450 million yuan per square kilometer — five times the YRD's average.
Its "one core and two belts" spatial layout is becoming more refined, fostering closer collaboration with cities like Hefei and Wuhu in Anhui and other cities in the Yangtze River Delta.
The "one core" refers to the Hongqiao International Central Business District, which covers 151 square kilometers and serves as a platform for international trade and a comprehensive transportation hub. The "two belts" extend northward and southward from the business district.
The hub is continuing to build on its strengths in business exhibitions, international trade, transportation, and technological innovation, enhancing its global resource allocation and international competitiveness.
The meeting emphasized the importance of innovation, openness, and regional collaboration, paving the way for deeper integration. It is expected to serve as a unique solution to boosting higher-level regional cooperation in the YRD.
