A staff member introduces the Hongqiao overseas expansion map at the Hongqiao Overseas Development Service Center. [Photo/shobserver.com]
The Shanghai Hongqiao International Central Business District is strengthening its role as a bridge linking the Yangtze River Delta with global markets, capitalizing on talent services and overseas business support to help companies and professionals cross borders.
Over the past year, the region's GDP reached 34.66 trillion yuan ($5.09 trillion), while the number of cities with GDP above 1 trillion yuan rose to 10. Exports from Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui totaled 10.85 trillion yuan, accounting for 40.2 percent of China's total.
As the core of the Hongqiao International Opening-up Hub, Hongqiao has become a daily workplace for many professionals commuting from Kunshan, Huaqiao and Hangzhou by high-speed rail.
Liu Fei, head of the public services division of the Hongqiao International CBD administrative committee, said traffic links with nearby cities are measured in minutes, with Suzhou and Wuxi about 20 minutes away and Hangzhou about 45 minutes away.
The Hongqiao International Talent Service Center focuses on bringing in international talent and supporting Chinese talent going global. It provides one-stop access to 19 high-frequency public security services. It offers 20 talent measures for Yangtze River Delta companies expanding overseas, from APEC business travel cards to 24-hour smart endorsements for Hong Kong and Macao. In 2025, the center served more than 18,000 foreign nationals.
The Hongqiao Overseas Development Service Center has integrated more than 500 international professional service institutions and built service chains for sectors including medical devices, green energy and new energy vehicles. Since 2025, it has held 382 business events and connected with more than 8,900 enterprises, 44 percent of which are from the Yangtze River Delta, helping turn Hongqiao's one-stop services into a regional network.
