Jinqiao Development Zone integrates green landscapes into the urban environment. [Photo/pudong.gov.cn]

The Jinqiao Development Zone of the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone recently hosted the 2024 Business Environment Optimization and Outstanding Enterprises Awards Ceremony, where it honored 119 companies in 10 awards, such as the "Foreign Investment Attraction Award" and "Intelligent Manufacturing Leadership Award".

"In recent years, Siasun's growth in Shanghai has been rapid, thanks to the excellent business environment fostered by the local government," said Yang Li, head of Siasun. "In Jinqiao, we have received tremendous support, such as policies that facilitate the quick settlement of urgently needed talents. This support has significantly boosted our brand," Yand went on to add.

Festo, an enterprise that has been deeply involved in the Chinese market for over 30 years, also shared its positive experience in the zone. "We initially chose Pudong because of its favorable business environment," said Steffen Mezger, CFO of Festo. "In recent years, our company has seen significant growth in China, and we are optimistic about the future. The local government's support has helped us attract high-quality talent and provided various subsidies that have benefited our enterprise greatly," he later stated.

Jinqiao takes the feedback and experiences of its resident enterprises as the "gold standard" for building a business-friendly environment. Focusing on facilitating trade and investment, Jinqiao plans to continuously deepen institutional innovation in order to explore ways to stimulate market creativity.

In terms of government services, Jinqiao has deepened reforms to streamline administration processes and improve regulation. It has implemented a new "approval-free immediate processing" work model. Jinqiao is also comprehensively promoting its "one-stop online service" reform and enhancing its "smart assistance" at service windows. To better serve enterprises and talents, Jinqiao will continue to conduct regular surveys, organize policy briefings, and hold symposiums to optimize services for foreign nationals.