Inside Shanghai's Five Centers | International trade center

To strengthen its functions as an international center in the fields of economy, finance, trade, shipping, and science and technology innovation, Shanghai has recently released a set of cases highlighting progress in each area.

This edition focuses on three cases that reflect the city's latest advances as an international trade center.

Case 1: Debut imported consumer goods

Shanghai introduced pilot measures to streamline inspection for debut imported consumer goods in April.

The reform is underpinned by a new model that combines a white list mechanism with differentiated conformity assessment. Key enterprises and new products are recommended by commercial authorities and placed on the white list, while customs authorities adjust supervision levels dynamically based on risk assessment.

As of September, the measures had benefited 1,040 declarations covering 2,940 batches of products, ensuring that debut goods can enter the Chinese market more quickly.

Case 2: Silk Road E-commerce national pavilions

The Global Hub's Silk Road E-commerce national pavilions serve as an official platform for showcasing signature products and facilitating trade and investment cooperation. They are authorized and certified by the embassies and consulates of Silk Road E-commerce partner countries, as well as relevant government agencies.

Since the Pilot Zone for Silk Road E-commerce Cooperation was approved in 2023, multiple national pavilions have been launched, strengthening connectivity with participating economies.

The pavilions provide services including customs clearance, marketing, and retail, while also helping Chinese companies connect with international partners.

To further enhance commercial engagement, promotional activities and targeted business matchmaking are organized through both offline events and digital service platforms.

During the 8th China International Import Expo, five partner countries launched national pavilions at the Global Hub, marking a further step in advancing Belt and Road cooperation.

Case 3: International data hub

The Lin-gang Special Area of the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone is accelerating efforts to build an international data hub, strengthening support for digital trade and cross-border cooperation.

Launched in October 2023, the International Data Economy Industrial Park provides enterprises with policy support and key infrastructure, including international connectivity, computing facilities, and innovation space.

Through the park's development, Lin-gang is positioning itself as a global data processing hub. Measures such as dedicated cross-border data links and sector-specific negative lists for data exports have been introduced to facilitate the secure and orderly cross-border flow of data and support the development of data processing, digital content, and digital services.