An automated container terminal at the Yangshan Deep-Water Port of the Shanghai Port. [Photo/IC]

Shanghai recently released an action plan — spanning 2025 to 2027 — to drive reforms and upgrades of its special customs supervision areas, or bonded zones.

The action plan seeks to boost their role in supporting global trade and bolstering supply chain dynamics.

The 26 key tasks stipulated in the action plan include supporting the construction of a global trade onshore and offshore center in the Waigaoqiao Bonded Zone.

This move aims to consolidate the zone's unique advantages in integrating domestic and foreign trade — focusing on developing industries like integrated circuits, biopharmaceuticals and high-end manufacturing to facilitate international trade and bonded formats.

The zone will also expand its functions relating to free trade accounts and applications scenarios.

Moreover, it will further facilitate cross-border funds settlement promote the convergence of trade in goods and services and serve as a cornerstone for the development of Shanghai as an international trade center.

The action plan assists the transition of the Yangshan Free Trade Zone to becoming a comprehensive, fully functional FTZ.

It will expand services such as bonded manufacturing and maintenance, high-level shipping services, as well as imported vehicle inspections and maintenance.

The action plan aims to spur the professional development of the Jinqiao and Caohejing comprehensive bonded zones or CBZs — promoting intelligent manufacturing through bonded research and development.

By deepening integration with surrounding industrial sectors, these zones are set to promote the mutual advancement of bonded R&D functions and leading enterprises in the industry chain.

The Jinqiao CBZ will focus on expanding R&D, manufacturing and testing in areas such as life sciences and high-end equipment.

Meanwhile, the Caohejing CBZ will concentrate on the development of R&D and manufacturing in next-generation electronics and biopharmaceuticals.

Under the action plan, the Waigaoqiao Port and the Pudong Airport CBZ will become high-efficiency hub-type zones for air and sea logistics, developing bonded services in areas such as ICs, biopharmaceuticals, cross-border e-commerce, and maintenance.

The action plan boosts the transformation of the Songjiang, Qingpu, Jiading and Fengxian CBZs into multifunctional CBZs, empowering new formats for industrial development.

The zones will expand their operations in various sectors. The Songjiang CBZ, for one, will expand bonded maintenance and re-manufacturing, testing and certification. It will also expand cross-border e-commerce and trade in fashionable consumer goods.

The action plan also involves steadily expanding institutional opening-up in the bonded zones of the Shanghai FTZ — enhancing overall reform planning and systematic integration and driving innovation across the entire industry chain.

Major tasks specified in the document also include the establishment of a mechanism to guide significant projects, enhancing the quality of international distribution, as well as supporting the transformation and upgrading of bonded processing and manufacturing.

Furthermore, they comprise accelerating the development of bonded maintenance, promoting the high-quality development of bonded R&D, facilitating cross-border e-commerce supervision in CBZs and supporting the growth of bonded exhibition and trading of high-value commodities.

Source: Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce

Note: The above content is for reference only. In case of any discrepancies, the Chinese version shall prevail.