Shanghai's Pudong to take lead in China's socialist modernization: officials

BEIJING -- The Pudong New Area in Shanghai will play a leading role in China's new journey to fully build a modern socialist country in a number of areas, central and local officials said Tuesday.

Cong Liang, deputy head of the National Development and Reform Commission, said Pudong will lead in fostering the impetus for high-quality development, high-level self-reliance and smooth economic circulation in the country.

Last week, China issued a guideline to support high-level reform and opening-up of Pudong and build the area into a pioneer of socialist modernization.

By 2050, Pudong is expected to become an important urban area that is highly attractive, creative, competitive and influential globally, a global model of urban governance and a "shining pearl" of a great modern socialist country, the guideline said.

To lead China's socialist modernization, Pudong will also promote the implementation of the people-centered development concept and seek high-level institutional supply, Cong told a press conference.

Pudong shall push forward reform with a focus on key sectors and links, and turn the valuable experiences and good practices into laws and regulations in time, he said.

Instead of making Pudong a land of preferential policies, the government's supportive measures will give Pudong greater say in reform and development and help build it into a powerful "propeller" for high-level reform and development, Cong added.

To this end, measures will be rolled out in areas such as financial opening up, technological innovation and customs control, according to the officials present at the press conference.

Wang Xin, head of the research bureau at the People's Bank of China, said the central bank will support the building of an international financial center in Shanghai, back the municipality in piloting the free use of Chinese currency renminbi (RMB) and facilitate the capital inflow and outflow for corporate trade and investment.

To attract top global talents, the Pudong New Area will also help overseas workers obtain Chinese permanent residence permits, ease certain employment restrictions and improve certification for international professional qualification, according to Weng Zuliang, secretary of the Pudong New Area Committee of the Communist Party of China.

Since being designated a new area in 1990, Pudong has undergone a remarkable transformation, becoming a popular destination for investors, innovators, and policy pilots. Its regional GDP surged more than 210 times from 1990 to 2019.