Shanghai's Huaxin town showcases rural revitalization efforts

Huaxin town in Shanghai's suburban Qingpu district hosted a media tour in late September to highlight its recent achievements in rural revitalization, such as the famous Hongqiao flower valley. The tour focused on efforts of integrating agriculture, culture, tourism, commerce and sports. 

A standout project in Huaxin town's efforts to reshape its industrial competitiveness is the Qingpu Hongqiao park of the oriental life valley, which is strategically located near the Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station and several major highways, offering convenient transportation access. 

Covering a total construction area of more than 808,000 square meters, the park is dedicated to cutting-edge fields, such as AI plus innovative pharmaceuticals and AI plus precision medicine, aiming to create a cluster in the health industry covering the comprehensive life-cycle that includes drug research, biotechnology and clinical studies. The development and leasing efforts have already seen success, with three companies signing up to move in and another 10 in the pipeline.

Another significant initiative is an ongoing residential compound renovation project in the town, one of the largest urban renewal efforts in Shanghai to date, according to the district government. It involves 2,257 households and the demolition of over 450,000 square meters of old housing. Residents will be relocated to a newly constructed apartment complex nearby. This pilot project aims to create a model living area for the Yangtze River Delta region.

In addition, the town's service center was opened at an area surrounded by the headquarters of several leading logistics companies in June.

With a capacity for over 200 people, the facility is designed to provide rest and learning spaces for workers in the logistics and courier industries. It features leisure bars, reading spaces, a computer room, and offers amenities, such as drinking water, phone charging, Wi-Fi, as well as shower and laundry facilities. The center also organizes regular skill training sessions.

Huaxin town's third annual flower culture and tourism festival also kicked off on Sept 29 and will run through November. The festival features special tourism routes, music festivals at the Hongqiao flower valley, heritage markets, and 20 themed activities, offering residents and tourists a chance to experience the charm of the town's rural revitalization efforts in one stop.