A view of Shanghai. [Photo/IC]

The Shanghai delegation to the fourth session of the 14th National People's Congress held a plenary meeting on the afternoon of March 5 to deliberate on the Government Work Report.

At the meeting, key priorities for Shanghai's development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-30) were highlighted, including expanding domestic demand, fostering innovation, and improving public well-being.

Demand and investment

Shanghai will deepen efforts to expand domestic demand by promoting deeper integration of culture, commerce, tourism, sports, and exhibitions.

It will also further expand effective investment and stimulate private investment.

Innovation

The city will step up efforts to cultivate new quality productive forces by advancing development in the three pioneering industries of artificial intelligence, integrated circuits, and biomedicine.

It will promote the digital, intelligent, and green transformation of manufacturing while continuing to improve innovation and industrial ecosystems.

Five centers

Shanghai will advance the development of the "five centers": international economic, financial, trade, shipping, and science and technology innovation centers.

The city will pursue breakthroughs in key areas such as cross-border and offshore finance, global supply chain management, bulk commodity resource allocation, comprehensive services for businesses going global, and high-end shipping services.

It will also advance the digital transformation of the shipping and trade sectors and promote the high-quality development of the Shanghai (Yangtze River Delta) international sci-tech innovation center.

Reform and opening-up

Shanghai will continue to deepen high-standard reform and opening-up, with a focus on functional innovation and policy design for the Eastern Hub International Business Cooperation Zone and the high-quality and efficient development of the services sector.

The city will also continue efforts to build a first-class business environment that is market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized.

People-centered city

Shanghai will make solid progress in building a people-centered city and implement a new round of projects designed to improve people's well-being.

It will prioritize the renovation of urban villages to address residents' needs for livable and secure housing, and expand the supply of high-quality public services.

Efforts will also be strengthened to build a resilient and safe city and continuously enhance the modernization of urban governance.