This year marks the conclusion of China’s 14th Five-Year Plan period. The Information Office of Shanghai Municipality has launched a series of themed press briefings under the banner “Delivering Solid Results through Action, Advancing the New Blueprint,” highlighting the vivid practices and substantial achievements of high-quality development across all 16 districts. The third session in this series was held on the morning of today (September 10), focusing on the theme “Proactively Serving the Development of the Shanghai-Nanjing Industrial Innovation Belt and Advancing High-Quality Development of Putuo District.” Hu Guangjie, Secretary of the CPC Putuo District Committee, presented the district’s development achievements during the 14th Five-Year Plan period. Zhao Liang, deputy Party Secretary and district chief, Wu Xinhua, director of the Putuo District Development and Reform Commission, Li Yin, director of the Putuo District Commission of Commerce, Chen Lu, director of the Putuo District Bureau of Planning and Natural Resources, and He Chunqian, director of the Putuo District Bureau of Ecology and Environment attended the press briefing and answered questions from reporters.Putuo District serves as a key transportation hub linking Shanghai with the Yangtze River Delta and as an important node on the Shanghai-Nanjing Industrial Innovation Belt, earning the name “Shanghai’s West Great Hall.” Since the launch of the 14th Five-Year Plan, and under the strong leadership of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee and Shanghai Municipal Government, Putuo has pursued the twin goals of building an “innovation-driven vibrant area and a high-quality living area.” Through determination and hard work, the district has achieved steady economic growth, rapid urban renewal, and rising living standards.1. Strong transformation for dynamic economic growthPutuo has remained firm in treating development as its top priority, aligning with Shanghai’s broader ambition to build the “Five Centers.” Efforts have focused on stabilizing growth, restructuring the economy, driving innovation, and improving the business environment, together fueling robust and sustainable progress.First, faster economic growth. Since the start of the 14th Five-Year Plan period, Putuo’s district-level fiscal revenue has grown at an annual average of 10.8 percent, 6.2 percentage points above the city’s average. Fixed asset investment has expanded by 8.8 percent annually, 2.5 percentage points higher than the citywide rate. In 2024, the district’s GDP reached 159 billion yuan, up 40.8 percent from the end of the 13th Five-Year Plan period. Revenue from the service industry above designated size hit 261.4 billion yuan, double the previous plan period. The district now has 38 buildings where annual tax contributions by occupants each exceed 100 million yuan, 12 more than the previous plan period, and, for the first time, a building with tax revenue topping 1 billion yuan. Tax payment per square meter in key buildings has surpassed 6,000 yuan, doubling over the same period.Second, stronger industrial momentum. Putuo’s four pillar industries — intelligent software, R&D services, technology finance, and life science and healthcare — have completed the “411 Growth Plan” ahead of schedule, each raising their share of district-level economy by one percentage point annually, with their share of tax revenue doubling from the previous plan period. A distinctive niche in digital advertising has also emerged, with the Putuo Digital Advertising Industry Park designated among the city’s first batch of advertising industry parks. Meanwhile, the district continues to upgrade bulk commodity trade. The “Half Marathon” Suzhou Creek cluster for productive Internet service platforms of non-ferrous metal is under rapid construction, while the bulk commodity market ecosystem is steadily improving.Third, stronger sci-tech innovation vitality. Collaboration in innovation is steadily deepening. Putuo is positioning itself as a leader along the Shanghai-Nanjing Industrial Innovation Belt, strengthening ties with the “Eight Cities” on the route, and building a collaborative innovation market supported by resource, demand, and cooperation lists. Innovation entities are also clustering at pace. Universities, research institutes, innovation platforms, and enterprises are playing an active role, with collaborative R&D and commercialization capacity on the rise. By 2024, the district was home to 346 “little giant” sci-tech enterprises and 694 high-tech firms, up by 95 and 255 respectively from the end of the 13th Five-Year Plan period. The innovation ecosystem continues to mature. An “Innovation Lane” has been established as a dedicated space for tech industries, while Haina Digital Town is being developed into a digital transformation demonstration zone. A new “1+N” policy package for talent has been launched, complemented by overseas recruitment stations. In addition, the 5-billion-yuan “Half Marathon” Suzhou Creek Sci-tech Innovation Fund has been created to fuel growth.Fourth, improved business environment and services. Putuo has been designated as part of the third batch of national demonstration zones for building the social credit system, with its government transparency index ranking among the top three nationwide at the county (city, district) level for eight consecutive years. The district also delivered the city’s first construction project to achieve “certificate issued upon land transfer” through fully online processing, and launched the Yangtze River Delta’s first pilot virtual government service window. Since the start of the 14th Five-Year Plan period, more than 150 new online services have been introduced, including the “one unified permit for one industry” and “one-stop task completion process.”2. Rapid renewal for a refreshed and vibrant urban imagePutuo continues to prioritize urban renewal, enhancing the cityscape comprehensively, from large-scale infrastructure and streetscapes to smaller public spaces and community environments, as well as both hard and soft elements, with an aim to foster a more meticulous, refined, and vibrant urban environment.First, continuous progress on “Beautiful Homes” project. The initiative has been making living conditions more comfortable and improve residents’ well-being. Since the start of the 14th Five-Year Plan period, Putuo has completed comprehensive renovations on 180,800 square meters of old housing and repairs on approximately 2.17 million square meters. A total of 27,500 units of guaranteed rental housing have been added, five times the amount during the 13th Five-Year Plan. This year, renovation efforts are expanding with the construction of 2 million square meters of “Beautiful Homes,” further enhancing residents’ living conditions. Infrastructure has also been strengthened. The Metro Lines 14 and 15 are now operational, construction of Line 20 is underway, and the rapid transformation of Wuning Road has been completed and opened to traffic. Since the 14th Five-Year Plan period began, 45 scenic roads have been completed, 1.8 times the number completed during the previous plan period. New infrastructure continues to expand rapidly, including the establishment of Shanghai’s first 5G premium area.Second, continuous progress on enhancing the “Half Marathon” Suzhou Creek brand. The 21-kilometer Suzhou Creek waterfront is now fully connected, with 29 Suzhou River stations in place, and the Suzhou Creek Half Marathon Park completed and open to the public. Major cultural and sports facilities, including the Shanghai Children’s Library, Putuo Ice Sports Center, and the Putuo District Workers’ Cultural and Sports Center, have been developed, alongside high-quality venues such as 1000 Trees and Hong Shou Fang. Five Suzhou River cruise terminals have been established, and regular water sports pilot programs are underway. Putuo has also held a series of premium events, including the Shanghai Suzhou Creek Half Marathon, the Shanghai Suzhou Creek City Dragon Boat Invitational, the Shanghai MCN International Conference, and the Shanghai International Advertising Festival.Third, continuous progress on strengthening the advantages of ecological advantages. Since the start of the 14th Five-Year Plan period, Putuo has added 755,000 square meters of new green space, 108,000 square meters of vertical greening, and 27 kilometers of greenways, alongside nine new urban parks and 12 pocket parks. By 2024, the district’s greening coverage rate reached 31 percent, up 1.8 percentage points from the end of the 13th Five-Year Plan period. Taopu Central Park has been recognized as an outstanding example in the “Beautiful China” initiative.3. Support that cares, making quality of life real and within reachAs a densely populated district with significant social security responsibilities, Putuo remains committed to the principle that development serves the people. The district prioritizes allocating its best resources to residents, delivering high-quality services, and steadily improving living standards. First, fully advance the development of education. Putuo is among the city’s leading districts in achieving high-quality, balanced compulsory education. The district has introduced top-tier educational resources, including the No.2 High School of East China Normal University and the China Welfare Institute Nursery. It is home to 23 new high-quality schools in Shanghai, has successfully applied for four “specialty” high schools, and achieved 100 percent coverage of public childcare and early education.Second, implement multiple measures to strengthen the healthcare system. Putuo has established the city’s first community health service capacity training center, forming a network of “12 community health service centers, 2 sub-centers and 50 service stations.” Since the start of the 14th Five-Year Plan period, 10 smart health stations have been built, achieving full coverage across all streets and towns. All 12 community health service centers now meet the recommended standard for “Quality Service at the Grassroots Level.”Third, deliver high-quality elderly care with care and compassion. Since the start of the 14th Five-Year Plan period, Putuo has added 1,352 beds in elderly care institutions, and the floor area of community elderly care facilities now reaches 82.73 square meters per 1,000 residents, with 27.5 care beds available per 1,000 elderly individuals. The district has established 102 community dining services for seniors and developed six national model elderly-friendly communities and seven municipal elderly-friendly communities.Fourth, focus efforts on enhancing governance effectiveness. Putuo has actively advanced the construction of the safety for residential and office buildings, implemented Party building in buildings and parks, promoted corridor culture, strengthened safety volunteer teams, and led the city in achieving full Party organization coverage in emerging sectors, deepening the Party’s leadership through “multi-grid integration.” The district has established a benchmark “one-stop” law enforcement case management center, launched the city’s first district-level online platform for diversified conflict resolution, and earned recognition as a “Shanghai Safety Demonstration District.” In addition, the first batch of quantum city pilot applications, under the initiative “Beautiful Life at Your Fingertips,” has been rolled out.Looking ahead to the 15th Five-Year Plan period, Putuo District is poised for a leap in economic momentum, a surge of collaborative innovation, and iterative upgrades in urban quality. Under the strong leadership of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee and Shanghai Municipal Government, the district will actively align with national strategies and integrate deeply into Shanghai’s overall development. Guided by a sense of national responsibility, a pioneering spirit, and dedicated work ethic, Putuo will strive to shape a new landscape of high-quality economic and social development, making even greater contributions to building the “Five Centers” in Shanghai and advancing the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta.