Dual engines to power growth in Jiading District

Development in Jiading District has been powered by dual engines of Jiading New City and the North Hongqiao Business District, with a synergy being effectively formed between the two areas.

In Jiading New City, the pace of construction has accelerated since the easing of COVID-19 restrictions.

Work on the United Imaging Medical Industrialization Demonstration Base involves around 133,400 square meters. On completion, it will be another highland for the development of high-performance medical equipment and the precision medicine industry, with expected annual revenue of 6 billion yuan (US$862.2 million).

The building of Hesai Technology is expected to be completed by the end of the year. Founded in 2014, Hesai is a market leader in 3D sensors (LiDAR). Its 3D laser sensing technology can be used in autonomous driving and robotic applications.

In 2021, the total revenue from industries within Jiading New City reached 191.27 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 5.2 percent.

In Jiading New City, 106 projects with a total investment of over 140 billion yuan were planned last year.

This year, nearly 100 projects with investments of over 100 billion yuan in infrastructure, housing, public services and ecological construction have been announced. During the 14th five-year period (2021-2025), Jiading New City is expected to complete major projects with a total investment of 250 billion yuan.

At the beginning of the year, Jiading New City started construction work on the first batch of six major projects, with an investment of about 7.89 billion yuan.

The Ximen Historical and Cultural District, Yuanxiang Lake Central Activity Zone, and Jiabao Smart Bay Future City Practice Area will be the demonstration areas, serving as the breakthrough points for the construction of Jiading New City, according to an official with Jiading New City.

Li Pin

In Lingang Jiading Science and Technology City in the North Hongqiao Business District, another major engine driving the growth of Jiading District, Ye Huaping, a project manager, is often seen busy at the construction site under the scorching sun.

"Partial structure of the basement of the first project has basically topped out, and the construction of the upper structure will start before the end of the year. It will be completed in 2024," Ye said.

Jointly launched by the Jiading District and Lingang Group, the international science and technology innovation industry community project will be mainly designated for enterprises involved in three key areas, namely life and health, digital economy, and intelligent manufacturing.

Residential buildings and recreational facilities are planned as well to build an integrated community where businesses prosper and residents are able to enjoy their lives.

As a key area vital for the economic development of Jiading, the North Hongqiao Business District has attracted a number of newcomers such as Nio Automobile to set up their headquarters, while proactively promoting the expansion of headquarters function of existing firms like China Southern Airlines and Lvmama.

Industrial development aside, construction of infrastructure projects and ancillary facilities in the Jiading New City and the North Hongqiao Business District has also picked up their pace as the two areas strive to improve public services to better retain talent.

Construction of the Jiading section of the Jiamin (Jiading-Minhang) Line and the expansion of the Jialiu (Jiading-Liuhe) section of the G15 Highway, for instance, are both in full swing. The construction of the Jiamin Line started last year in Jiangqiao Town, with Jinyun Road and Lexiu Road stations interchanging with Line 13 and Line 14 respectively. In the future, there will be three Metro lines in Jiangqiao Town.

In addition to the High School Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University (Jiading), Jiading New City is proceeding with various educational projects such as the Jiading New City branch of Shanghai Experimental School, Jiading Experimental School run by Shanghai Soong Ching Ling School, and the No.5 High School Affiliated to East China Normal University.