A view of Changning District
Changning District has experienced remarkable economic and social growth in the last four years, emerging as a hub for foreign business, internet commerce, and urban regeneration.
Changning's GDP reached 278.9 billion yuan (US$38.4 billion) in 2024, 1.8 times the amount in 2020, with an average annual growth rate of 7.8 percent for the period.
Its fiscal revenue increased to 18 billion yuan, up on average 8.8 percent each year.
According to Zhang Wei, Party Secretary of Changning District, the district has gained new development momentum as a result of the Greater Hongqiao strategy and the expansion of the digital economy, strengthening its role as both a gateway to the Yangtze River Delta and a bridge to global markets.
Glittering Changning District
Economic restructuring has driven growth, and the district's four major industry clusters – software and information services, transportation, wholesale and retail, and business services – have all exceeded 100 billion yuan in output.
The software and IT sector increased at the city's fastest rate, 24.8 percent annually.
E-commerce turnover reached 1.62 trillion yuan, accounting for one-third of Shanghai's total, while new initiatives are aimed at industrial Internet and low-altitude aviation.
Changning has also strengthened its position as a headquarters economy, establishing 22 new multinational regional headquarters between 2021 and 25 to increase the total to 153 headquarters and R&D centers.
The Suzhou Creek waterfront, Changning section
The tax revenue of the East Hongqiao Area has grown at an average annual rate of 13.6 percent, accounting for more than 40 percent of the total tax revenue of the Hongqiao International Business District.
Urban renewal has reshaped the district's landscape. Changning completed 169 redevelopment projects during this time period, preserving historical streets like Yuyuan Road and Wuyi Road while also adding modern housing and commercial space.
Suzhou Creek's waterfront has been upgraded, and new parks and ecological corridors have transformed the area into one of Shanghai's most livable urban districts.
Changning will further integrate technology and industrial innovation to create a "international district with global influence," local officials said.