Shanghai has launched a comprehensive development blueprint for its 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), centering on the establishment of an advanced industrial ecosystem to enhance urban capacity and core competitiveness. Municipal officials announced the strategy during a Wednesday press conference, outlining specific economic targets and development priorities.
The metropolitan economic powerhouse aims to maintain an average annual GDP growth rate of approximately 5% throughout the five-year timeframe, with an ambitious target to double its per capita GDP by 2035 from the 2020 baseline of over $23,000. Vice-Mayor Wu Wei emphasized that substantial investments will be channeled toward technological innovation, industrial modernization, urban regeneration, and public welfare initiatives.
Central to Shanghai’s development vision is the creation of a sophisticated industrial framework that encompasses digital transformation of conventional industries and a comprehensive green transition. The strategy prioritizes three cutting-edge sectors—integrated circuits, artificial intelligence, and biomedicine—alongside six emerging industrial clusters including next-generation information technology. The city will also pioneer future-oriented domains such as energy and advanced materials.
Scientific advancement forms another critical pillar of Shanghai’s roadmap. Luo Dajin, Director of the Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Commission, revealed plans to intensify original innovation and achieve crucial technological breakthroughs. The city expects basic research expenditure to constitute roughly 15% of total societal R&D investment by 2030, supported by enhanced funding for fundamental studies and core technologies alongside expanded infrastructure including Shanghai’s national blockchain network hub.
Human capital development receives equal emphasis, with Shanghai targeting cultivation of an additional 300,000 high-skilled professionals by 2030, according to Gu Jun, Director of the Shanghai Municipal Development and Reform Commission.
The financial and trade sectors will undergo further enhancement through continued reform and opening-up policies. Shanghai aims to achieve annual container throughput of 58 million TEUs by 2030 while attracting world-class supply chain management centers and strengthening global commodity resource allocation capabilities. Zhou Xiaoquan, Executive Deputy Director of the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Finance, indicated plans to introduce more internationally accessible financial products, attract premier global asset managers and financial institutions, and explore offshore financial mechanisms with corresponding regulatory frameworks.
Regional integration features prominently in the development agenda, with dedicated focus on Yangtze River Delta coordination through technological collaboration, industrial innovation, regulatory alignment, and infrastructure connectivity. Within Shanghai, land resources will be strategically allocated for new infrastructure including computing, telecommunications, and low-altitude facilities, while urban rail transit coverage expands toward exceeding 1,260 kilometers of operational mileage by 2030.
The comprehensive plan additionally addresses quality-of-life improvements through renovation of 30 million square meters of aging residential compounds, new park development, and enhanced accessibility to employment, housing, education, healthcare, and childcare services. Environmental commitments include building a resilient megacity and ensuring carbon emissions peak before 2030.