Shanghai has been designated as one of China's seven national pilot zones for digital economy innovation and development, underscoring the city's leading role in advancing the country's digital transformation and fostering globally competitive industrial clusters.

The seven pilot zones are Tianjin, Shanghai, Xiong'an New Area in Hebei province, and the provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Guangdong, and Sichuan.

A total of 158 reform measures will be introduced across seven areas, covering the market-oriented allocation of data resources, digital infrastructure construction, regional coordination, industrial and technological integration, scenario-based applications, and international collaboration.

The initiative seeks to address bottlenecks that hinder the high-quality development of China's digital economy.

The National Data Administration will enhance systematic planning, encourage regions to pursue tailored reforms based on their respective strengths, and provide policy support in terms of data and funding to ensure effective implementation.

As one of the pilot zones, Shanghai will leverage the Yangtze River Delta data cooperation mechanism to deepen data sharing, collaborative innovation, and scenario openness, while promoting cross-regional synergy.

The city plans to build a digital industry cluster in the Yangtze River Delta with a total value exceeding 1 trillion yuan ($140 billion).

Source: chinadaily.com.cn