Shanghai unveils development blueprint for 2026-30

Shanghai has unveiled a comprehensive blueprint for its next phase of economic and social development, outlining key goals, tasks, and priorities for the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-30).

The plan was presented at the eighth plenary session of the 12th Shanghai Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China, held on Dec 22.

Development goals

By 2030:

Shanghai aims to make significant progress in high-quality development, achieve a new leap in its core functions, and secure fresh breakthroughs in high-level reform and opening-up. The city also targets marked improvements in social civility, further advances in people-centered urban development, and substantial progress in the modernization of urban governance.

By 2035:

With a further five years of sustained effort, the functions of Shanghai's "five centers" — international economic, financial, trade, shipping, and science and technology innovation centers — will be comprehensively upgraded.

Key development indicators are expected to reach international leading levels, with overall capacity and core competitiveness significantly strengthened, and GDP per capita expected to double from its 2020 level. By then, Shanghai will have largely built itself into an internationally influential metropolis.

Main tasks

PART.01 Accelerating the development of the five centers

Shanghai will strengthen its role as an international economic center by building a modern industrial system anchored in advanced manufacturing, promoting high-quality development of the services sector, expanding domestic demand, and fostering world-class enterprises.

The city will also enhance its position as an international financial center by advancing renminbi asset allocation and risk management functions, improving the modern financial system, and strengthening financial support for the real economy.

Efforts will also focus on upgrading Shanghai's international trade center through trade innovation, structural optimization, and stronger global supply chain management.

Shanghai will also consolidate its status as a global shipping hub, expand modern shipping services, and accelerate the digital, intelligent, and green transformation of the shipping industry.

Shanghai will reinforce its role as a source of scientific and technological innovation by strengthening basic research, accelerating breakthroughs in core technologies, deepening the integration of technological and industrial innovation, and promoting coordinated development across education, science and technology, and talent.

PART.02 Deepening high-level reform and opening-up

The city will align more closely with high-standard international economic and trade rules and pursue broader, deeper, and more intensive opening-up.

It will also enhance integrated service platforms for companies expanding overseas and support professional service institutions in strengthening their global networks and cross-border capabilities.

PART.03 Optimizing urban spatial layout

Efforts will focus on advancing rural vitalization, deepening integrated development within the Yangtze River Delta region, improving modern infrastructure, and carrying out high-standard urban renewal.

Shanghai will strengthen cross-regional collaboration in science and technology as well as industrial innovation in the YRD region, promote the development of the Five New Cities of Jiading, Qingpu, Songjiang, Fengxian, and Nanhui as regional hubs, and further optimize north-south spatial development across the municipality.

PART.04 Building an international cultural metropolis

The city will develop its cultural industries, enhance international communication capabilities, strengthen cultural soft power, and take the lead in promoting modernization that balances material and cultural-ethical advancement.

PART.05 Safeguarding and improving people's well-being

Shanghai will promote high-quality and full employment, improve education and social security systems, expand access to livable and secure housing, advance public health initiatives, and steadily improve equal access to basic public services.

PART.06 Advancing a comprehensive green and low-carbon transition

Shanghai will continue to improve environmental quality, steadily advance efforts to reach carbon peaking, implement ecological projects for public benefit, and build a city where humans and nature coexist in harmony.

PART.07 Strengthening urban safety and governance

Shanghai will enhance urban resilience, improve the social governance system, and foster a governance model based on broad participation and shared responsibility, cultivating a society that is both dynamic and orderly.

Key priorities for 2026

Efforts will focus on improving living standards and expanding high-quality demand, while better coordinating investment in physical assets with investment in human capital.

At the same time, priority will be given to enhancing the capacity of the five centers, accelerating the development of new quality productive forces, and deepening the integration of technological and industrial innovation.

High-level reform and opening-up will continue, with an emphasis on strengthening the drivers and vitality of high-quality development.

In parallel, a more intensive and high-quality model of urban development will be pursued, exploring new pathways for modernizing megacities with Chinese characteristics.

Promoting a comprehensive green transition, improving quality of life, and strengthening governance efficiency and urban resilience will also remain priorities.