Hongqiao International CBD Celebrates 5 Years of Exceptional Growth

The Shanghai Hongqiao International Central Business District, a core area of the Hongqiao International Opening-up Hub, celebrates five years of remarkable growth this year and continues to solidify its position as a pivotal global trade and innovation center.

By taking advantage of national support and its key position as a transportation hub, the business district regularly encourages new ideas, enhances the benefits from the China International Import Expo, and supports the connection between industry and city development.

A frontier of innovation and reform, its objective is to serve as a vital catalyst for the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta region.

The Minhang section of the Hongqiao international CBD has fully leveraged its advantages and moved forward with innovative business models, regulatory schemes and opening-up measures, such as partnerships with local universities and incentives for tech startups.

High-quality development

Minhang District Director Wu Qiang told a press conference in March that it aims to further elevate the CBD to new heights and establish it as a model for high-quality development.

Over the past years, it has been focusing on cultivating distinctive industries to establish a manufacturing R&D cluster in the Yangtze River Delta by targeting new forms of productive capacity, such as biomedicine, alternative energy and the digital economy.

Currently, a total of 28,000 enterprises have been established in the region – a 55 percent increase compared to five years ago. Of these, 89 are headquarters-type enterprises, and regional tax revenue reached 11 billion yuan (US$1.61 billion) in 2025, representing a 1.3-fold increase compared to five years ago.

The geographical advantage of the Hongqiao Transport Hub as a gateway to the Yangtze River Delta will be further leveraged, as will Minhang's strengths in science and technology innovation, a talent pool and industrial development.

It aims to establish a hub for science and technology innovation in the Yangtze River Delta and forge a new model of cross-regional industrial collaboration.

Hongqiao Pinhui, a CIIE platform, hosts global delights

The Hongqiao Import Commodity Exhibition and Trade Center, also known as Hongqiao Pinhui in Shanghai Hongqiao International Central Business District, serves as a crucial display, trading and exhibition platform for import merchants, thanks to its proximity to the venue of the annual China International Import Expo.

An accumulation of over 1,000 leading enterprises in digital and service trade has settled down here and introduced more than 85,000 imported products from 120 countries and regions, including European wines, American beef, Australian health supplements, Asian fruit snacks and African coffee – all of which are highly popular with the shoppers.

The exhibition and trade center has established a comprehensive framework for companies' outbound businesses and professional services.

Its Hongqiao International Central Legal Service District has attracted a total of 184 legal service organizations. By integrating high-end resources, such as legal, human resources and financial expertise, it's offering a comprehensive, one-stop professional service ecosystem, further attracting high-level legal service institutions with expertise in foreign-related legal services and legal technology enterprises.

Hongqiao Pinhui has been serving as a platform that extends the reach of the China International Import Expo and hosts a treasure trove of global delights.

The trade center is made up of bonded logistics facilities, a dedicated hall for food and consumer goods exhibition and trading, and a new section for industrial goods' debut, integrating warehousing, exhibitions, trade and office functions.

To date, the platform has brought together over 6,000 brands and more than 90,000 types of imported goods from over 120 countries and regions. It has established 55 sub-centers across 22 prefecture-level cities in 12 provinces nationwide, with total transaction volume exceeding 36 billion yuan.

By highlighting the various types of coffee trading companies and relevant service providers, it's successfully converting passenger traffic into a sustained flow of economic activity.

The Hongqiao International Coffee Harbor was established in the center and has become a top choice for coffee companies looking to set up operations in Shanghai. It has trained over 8,000 coffee professionals to date, and the wide variety of coffees on offer is also a delight for coffee enthusiasts.

It has facilitated the coffee industry's development through a complete chain of supply and consumption.

Positioned as a premiere platform for high-end industrial products, a new section was put into use at the end of 2024, which covers four areas: low-altitude economy, new energy, intelligent driving and fashionable travel.

The exhibition space has gathered mainstream electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft models from 23 exhibitors, including leading companies such as AutoFlight, TCab Tech, Vertaxi and Volant.

"With an average daily footfall of over a million, this integrated transport hub connects people, goods and information flows. Moreover, its proximity to the National Exhibition and Convention Center enables a seamless transition from the China International Import Expo to the retail space, allowing exhibits to become retail products and reach a wider consumer base," a representative from Hongqiao Pinhui noted.

In the future, this initiative will keep working to make global trade easier, which will enhance the positive effects of the CIIE, helping Shanghai grow as an international trade center and promoting open trade while bringing more and better products from the CIIE to homes worldwide, the official added.