[Inside China] Did You Know Xuhui Has a Center to Help Foreign Businesses?

Editor's Note

Inside China is a feature column that explores the ins and outs of how China works. China is a large, complex country with a governing and economic system that is often misunderstood or colored by misconceptions, and this series aims to let people in on a nation that has experienced one of the world's fastest and most incredible transformation stories. From local neighborhood politics to national policy setting, to sit-downs with government officials at all levels and levers, we're here to give an inside look.

Every few months, someone in the expat WeChat groups asks the same question: how does anything actually get built in this city, from zero to ribbon-cutting, without six months lost to permits and a government office that has never heard of you. Answers fly, but for those who are really plugged in, you might get directed to one of the city district's organs, set up specifically to help foreign businesses succeed.

Walk the West Bund on a Sunday, and you'll see the evidence before anyone explains it to you. Adidas and Lululemon have offices in a mega-complex that Hongkong Land started building during the pandemic, back when most companies were canceling leases, not signing them. Arm, the chip design outfit that sits behind half the phones on earth, picked this district for its AI venture, not Pudong, not somewhere with a flashier skyline. Target Darts, of all things, opened its biggest Asia flagship a few blocks over. None of this happens by accident, and none of it happens because Shanghai is simply Shanghai. It happens because somebody at the Xuhui Business Center picked up the phone and got the ball rolling.

That somebody, or one of them, is Xu Hui, the Director of the Xuhui Business Services Center. He has spent close to three decades on the unglamorous machinery of foreign investment: talent visas, customs clearance, IP enforcement against the counterfeiters going after Lego and Pop Mart, and the necessary work of finding a company the right building before they even know to ask. British firms in particular have been paying attention. Reckitt upgraded its Xuhui office to regional headquarters status back in 2020. Tate & Lyle did the same in 2024, right after swallowing a major US acquisition. The Royal Aeronautical Society keeps coming back for its West Bund summit, and is now eyeing the old Longhua Airport terminal for something considerably more interesting than a museum.

We sat down with Xu Hui to ask the obvious question: what exactly is Xuhui District selling, and why do multinationals keep buying?

CNS: Good morning, Mr Xu Hui. Could you briefly introduce what you do, as well as how the Xuhui Business Center supports and serves foreign expats and foreign-invested companies?

Xu Hui: My role is essentially to support businesses – both international and domestic. We operate under the Xuhui District Government as the Business Services Center.

Our team has been doing this for many years. Over the past two decades, our core mission has been attracting international and domestic investment, helping businesses get established, and supporting their long-term growth here in Xuhui.

Our primary focus is policy support for corporate investment. That goes far beyond financial subsidies or direct funding. It includes comprehensive talent solutions – making sure your staff is taken care of when relocating, settling in, and living here comfortably.

We also connect businesses with prime commercial real estate across the district – from high-end office spaces to retail and cultural hubs. Because we know the district inside and out, we can recommend spaces that genuinely fit an enterprise's industry profile and growth trajectory. All of these advisory services are completely free of charge.

When a company decides to set up or expand here, we assign a dedicated team to guide them through the entire process. That means hands-on, white-glove support: company registration, business licenses, navigating government approvals, and liaising with various regulatory bodies. Even after launch, whenever day-to-day operational issues crop up, companies have designated account managers on our team to help solve them.

This has been Xuhui's approach for nearly thirty years, non-stop. Thanks to that consistency, Xuhui now hosts the highest concentration of regional headquarters and multinational corporations in downtown Shanghai.

For international businesses specifically, we focus heavily on their biggest priorities:

• Fast-tracked talent solutions and streamlined visa/immigration processing.
• Expat relocation and everyday lifestyle services.
• Strong intellectual property protection.
• Customs clearance facilitation.
• On-the-ground support for expanding their domestic market reach across China.

We can deliver this full-suite service because we have an integrated, highly professional network. It brings together key municipal departments – such as the Commerce Commission and Science & Tech Commission – alongside state-owned district development companies and local neighborhood administrations. This service network and institutional expertise have been refined over three decades, which gives Xuhui a clear competitive edge over other districts.

CNS: Are there any upcoming initiatives Xuhui is rolling out to attract and welcome more foreign investment?

Xu Hui: Yes, absolutely. We are consistently stepping up our efforts to attract global enterprise. Looking ahead, our strategy centers on three key areas:

1. Uncompromising Intellectual Property (IP) Protection

This is a top priority for us. We've taken concrete action to safeguard the rights of international brands – including global names like Lego and Pop Mart – clamping down aggressively on trademark counterfeiting and IP infringement. Xuhui is designated as a National IP Demonstration Zone, meaning we offer green-channel applications and streamlined administrative processes. That legal certainty is crucial for international brands entering China.

2. A Complete Expat & Talent Ecosystem

Talent is everything, whether for international firms or domestic scale-ups. Companies choose Shanghai for its globalized environment and talent density. Xuhui invests heavily here: we build premium talent apartments to resolve residential and settling-in challenges, ensuring employees can quickly feel at home. By handling living logistics, we let companies focus purely on business growth. Combine that with Xuhui's top-tier international schools, healthcare facilities, and cultural amenities – which are among the best nationwide – and it's easy to see why founders and senior executives frequently choose to both base their businesses and buy their personal homes here.

3. AI Integration Across Traditional Industries

As an established AI capital, we want to help multinational companies – across any vertical – leverage AI to unlock new growth. Many international firms tell us their legacy business models face headwinds, and they urgently need digital transformation and new growth drivers. AI is that driver. We regularly host global executives – like the global leadership team from Whirlpool recently – who visit us to explore cross-industry AI partnerships. Xuhui serves as an ideal launchpad where global brands can test, integrate, and scale advanced tech solutions.