On the morning of today (September 25), the Information Office of Shanghai Municipality held the sixth press briefing in Shanghai’s “14th Five-Year Plan Achievements” series under the banner “Delivering Solid Results through Action, Advancing the New Blueprint.” With a focus on the theme of “Taking Solid Action and Leading the Way in Shaping the Best Practice Place of a People’s City,” Xue Kan, Secretary of the CPC Yangpu District Committee, introduced the construction and development achievements of Yangpu District during the “14th Five-Year Plan” period. Zhou Haiying, deputy district Party Secretary and district chief, Zhou Rong, deputy district Party Secretary, Ni Bing, member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Yangpu District Committee and executive deputy district chief, and Xu Jianhua, member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Yangpu District Committee and deputy district chief attended the press briefing and answered questions from reporters. In November 2019, General Secretary Xi Jinping visited Shanghai’s Yangpu Riverfront and articulated the important vision of “a city built by the people, for the people.” Since the start of the 14th Five-Year Plan period, Yangpu has earnestly followed this guidance, advancing with determination to pioneer new practices of the “people’s city,” chart a fresh course of innovative development, and revitalize its driving momentum. These efforts have brought about a qualitative leap in economic growth, a transformation of the urban landscape, and a marked improvement in people’s livelihoods.1. Over the past five years, Yangpu has charted new paths on the city built “by the people” and delivered tangible gains “for the people,” advancing the practice of a people-oriented cityThe district has made livable and secure housing a top priority. Urban renewal has been accelerated, with steady progress in land acquisition and renovation. In just five years, three major breakthroughs were achieved: the full renovation of substandard Class II housing in 2022; the completion of renovations to old prefabricated concrete housing in 2024; and this year, the complete elimination of “carrying a chamber pot.” Altogether, 421,000 square meters of old housing have been acquired, relocated, and upgraded, enabling more than 20,000 households to realize their aspirations for safe, comfortable homes. In renewal efforts, the district has also embraced principles such as preserving historical character, incorporating age-friendly design, building park-based cities, and ensuring resilience and safety. These initiatives have fostered beautiful homes, vibrant neighborhoods, and 15-minute community life circles, striving to give Yangpu residents a better quality of life in a modern city.The district has continued to advance the improvement and expansion of public services. Since the start of the 14th Five-Year Plan period, Yangpu’s investment in people’s livelihood has grown by 50.2 percent, with the share of general public budget expenditure rising from 43.5 percent to 52.3 percent. Focusing on education and healthcare — two areas of greatest concern to residents — the district has built 14 new schools and added 7,070 school places, ensuring that children have access to quality education close to home. A high-level medical alliance has been established, while the tiered diagnosis and treatment system and family doctor services have been enhanced, enabling residents to enjoy high-quality healthcare without leaving their community. Addressing the needs of the most vulnerable — the elderly and the young — the district has achieved full coverage of universal childcare centers across all subdistricts, launched the city’s first on-site childcare center in the Science and Technology Innovation Park, and met the needs of working parents to “drop off children on the way to work and pick them up after.” At the same time, the district has strengthened home- and community-based elderly care, built neighborhood canteens and “silver reception rooms” just downstairs, and created the most beautiful retirement life for senior residents.2. Over the past five years, Yangpu has revitalized its innovation momentum and strengthened its development capabilities, advancing a new era of innovation-driven growthTo successfully chart the path of innovation in this new era, the district proposed in 2023 a focus on enhancing the “Four Drivers of Innovation” and fully promoting innovation-driven development.To boost the driving force of scientific and technological innovation, the district has prioritized original research, deepening collaboration with universities and research institutes, and providing them with space, talent, and policy support. These efforts have underpinned the development of a pilot zone for basic research and a highland for original innovation. At the same time, the district has emphasized the commercialization of scientific and technological achievements, working closely with innovation entities to establish multiple collaborative platforms bridging industry, academia, research, and application, resulting in a wealth of high-level technological accomplishments. Since the start of the 14th Five-Year Plan period, Yangpu has been recognized with 18 national science and technology awards and has received over 40 percent of all municipal science and technology awards.To strengthen the competitiveness of innovative industries, Yangpu District is leveraging its rich resources and solid industrial foundation to build a “1+2+3+4” modern industrial innovation system. At its core is the digital economy, with “AI+” and “Internet+” as two key focus areas; three 100-billion-yuan industrial clusters in the online new economy, intelligent manufacturing, and creative design; and four emerging industries in science and technology services, artificial intelligence, life sciences and health, and green, low-carbon development. Today, a growing number of digital economy companies — including internet giants, unicorns, and specialized and sophisticated little giants — are clustering in Yangpu District and expanding rapidly.To foster the growth of the innovation ecosystem, the district has continued to promote the free flow and efficient allocation of talent, capital, technology, and data, providing ample “sunshine and rain” for innovation entities. For example, it has accelerated the development of the core area of Shanghai’s high-level talent base, attracting a large number of top-tier experts. The number of academicians from the two national academies and high-level overseas talent in the district ranks among the highest in the city. The district is also actively supporting Shanghai’s goal of becoming a global technology trading hub, fully backing the Shanghai Technology Exchange and the National Eastern Technology Transfer Center to grow bigger and stronger. In the five years since its establishment, the Shanghai Technology Exchange has accepted more than 14,000 projects and facilitated technology transactions totaling over 76 billion yuan.To enhance the attractiveness of its innovation environment, Yangpu has focused on improving both the soft and hard aspects of its ecosystem. On the soft side, leveraging the transformation of government functions, the district has implemented 734 reform measures to streamline administrative approvals and standardize law enforcement, effectively establishing a reputation as a hub for business-friendly enterprises. On the hard side, Yangpu has developed a range of innovative science and technology communities, neighborhoods, and parks that combine a “homely and scholarly” atmosphere, “cultural and technological” influence, and a “fashionable and international” vibe. A notable example is the recently launched “V Hub”, marking the district’s first high-quality cluster for internet content creation. It has attracted numerous leading influencers and MCN organizations, forming an emerging “university–large enterprise–influencer” innovation triangle.Yangpu District, which accounted for one-fifth of the city’s industrial output in the last century, has repeated this feat in the new era, generating over 320 billion yuan in information service revenue last year, again representing one-fifth of the city’s total. Yangpu’s top 100 enterprises have experienced remarkable growth: from 2020 to 2024, their total district-level tax contributions rose from 3.011 billion yuan to 6.294 billion yuan, an increase of 109 percent. Their share of total district tax revenue climbed from 27.8 percent to 45 percent, while the entry threshold for the top 100 jumped from 5.6 million yuan to 14.54 million yuan, a 160 percent increase. These figures clearly demonstrate that Yangpu’s enterprises have grown in scale, strength, and contribution, firmly establishing themselves as the city’s economic “pillars.”3. Over the past three to five years, the district has built a strong team and fostered synergy through the revitalization of Yangpu’s fervent drive  Advancing new practices in the people-oriented city and embarking on a new journey of innovative development depends fundamentally on people. To this end, Yangpu has actively promoted the “Four Dare” spirit — daring to innovate, daring to be first, daring to tackle tough problems, and daring to take responsibility — motivating and guiding the entire district to fully unleash the power of the fervent drive. This fervent drive is fully reflected in the entrepreneurial spirit of Yangpu’s cadre team. On one hand, the district has strengthened professional training and practical experience for cadres, focusing on cultivating a team that understands urban governance and excels in management. The goal is to build a cadre group capable of “understanding scientists, engaging entrepreneurs, and speaking freely with grassroots residents.” On the other hand, the district has firmly emphasized practical work and results, establishing an assessment system that “knows the issues, identifies the right people, and assigns tasks based on capability.” This creates a platform for cadres who are motivated, competent, and results-driven. Over the past five years, many Yangpu cadres have been active at the grassroots level in urban renewal, project construction, investment attraction, and social governance. They have directly gauged public sentiment and tackled challenges through hands-on work. Their dedication has contributed to the happiness of residents, the satisfaction of businesses, and the overall development of the district.This fervent drive is reflected in the enthusiasm of Yangpu’s 1.2 million residents, who are working together to build a better home. Numerous role models and exemplary groups have emerged, including Huang Baomei, recipient of the “July 1 Medal,” and Yu Yi, a “People’s Educator.” The retired cadres, experts, servicemen, teachers, and role models in Yangpu, now in their eighties, have traveled to communities and campuses, vividly sharing stories of Shanghai and Yangpu. Children participating in the “Yangpu Youth Talk” program explore the city from a “one-meter-high” perspective, unleashing their creativity to shape the city’s future. Meanwhile, countless volunteers for the campaign to build a national model urban area have traversed streets, collectively championing the call for a “People’s City, Civilization First.” In this fertile environment for innovation, every resident is both a steward of the city and a vital participant in its development.