Shanghai Customs Technical Center establishes key service point in Hongqiao

The Shanghai Customs Technical Center launched its core functional service point in the Hongqiao area on December 10 at the "CIIE 365" Enablement Exchange Forum held at the Shanghai IBP International Conference Center.

The forum aimed to foster deep integration between national-level customs technical resources and the strategic positioning of the Hongqiao Business District, providing solid technical support for enhancing regional trade facilitation and the regular services under the "CIIE 365" initiative.

At the event, the Administrative Committee of the Hongqiao Business District announced the operational launch of the Shanghai Customs Technical Center's core functions within the district. A comprehensive service point will be established in the core area of the Changning-Hongqiao Corporate Global Headquarters Cluster Zone.

This initiative leverages the technical authority and expertise of the Shanghai Customs Technical Center in inspection and testing. It is expected to significantly improve trade predictability, reduce institutional transaction costs, and provide enterprises with one-stop professional technical services "at their doorstep." By combining this with the existing strengths of the Changning-Hongqiao Corporate Global Headquarters Cluster Zone, it will optimize cross-border data service capabilities, amplify the spillover effects of the China International Import Expo, and jointly build an efficient and coordinated international trade service ecosystem.

During the forum, various customs departments shared insights on current trade trends and development opportunities in the inspection, testing, and certification industry, as well as practical information on consumer goods clearance and commodity inspection under the new landscape.

This year, Changning District has accelerated the development of the influential and radiation abilities of the Hongqiao Corporate Global Headquarters Cluster Zone, aiming to help enterprises enhance their international competitiveness within global industrial and supply chain layouts. It is also actively building the Shanghai Comprehensive Service Platform for Enterprises to Go Global  (Changning Branch). This platform integrates government services and professional market services, operating through both online and offline channels to provide enterprises with one-stop, full-chain support for their global expansion.

Changning releases implementation plan to accelerate Shanghai FTZ Linkage Innovation Zone

Changning District has released an implementation plan to accelerate the development of the Shanghai Pilot Free Trade Zone Changning Linkage Innovation Zone. The plan focuses on deepening reform, innovation, and exploratory practices in five key areas: new business operation scenarios, new licensing procedures, new talent service experiences, a new sci-tech innovation ecosystem, and new explorations in regulatory models.

The plan, aligned with Changning's industrial foundation and spatial layout, delineates three functional zones. These include the Shanghai Silicon Lane Science and Technology Innovation Block, the Hongqiao International Trade Center area, and the Changning section of the Hongqiao International Central Business District, with a total area of approximately 24.6 square kilometers.

The Shanghai Silicon Lane Science and Technology Innovation Block will prioritize breakthroughs in sci-tech innovation and financial services, focusing on building high-quality incubators, deploying state-owned capital in science and technology, financing sci-tech enterprises, and optimizing the innovation ecosystem. The goal is to create a vibrant and economically productive district with high technological content.

The Hongqiao International Trade Center area will benchmark against national-level economic development zones, striving to promote urban renewal and redevelopment. Leveraging its strengths in international trade and fashion consumption, the area will focus on supporting trade and investment facilitation, regulatory innovation, and intellectual property protection.

The Changning section of the Hongqiao International Central Business District will concentrate on aviation, digital, headquarters, and eco-friendly industries. It will actively explore cross-border data flow, facilitate cross-border capital movement, enhance talent service capabilities, and strengthen professional services for global expansion. Efforts will be fully devoted to advancing the construction of the Hongqiao International Low-Altitude Economy Industrial Park (Changning Park) and the Hongqiao Corporate Global Headquarters Cluster Zone.

Promoting the Linkage Innovation Zone is a significant opportunity for Changning to integrate into the national opening-up strategy, stimulate economic vitality, and enhance its core competitiveness. Changning will focus on trade and investment facilitation, and streamlined market access and operations, continuously expanding the scope and depth of institutional innovation.

Shanghai Zoo offers a colorful autumn feast 

As late autumn transitions into early winter, Shanghai Zoo transforms into a vibrant canvas showcasing the season's colorful, serene, and bountiful beauty.

Beside the zoo's largest lawn stand several ginkgo trees, which reached their peak golden brilliance in early December, their entire canopies turning a radiant yellow.

Maple trees are also at their most fiery red. Alongside the zoo's streams and ponds, one or two maples often blaze with intense color, their reflections lightly tinting the water with a reddish hue, evoking the poetic charm of classical Chinese gardens.

In contrast, the tallow tree displays a broader palette than the maple. Its leaves can turn not only red but also shift through shades of orange and purple with temperature changes. With their tall stature and twisting branches, these trees form colorful archways that dominate the skyline in autumn. They are a prominent sight along the main path in front of the Lion and Tiger Hill and by Swan Lake.

On the lawn near the Science Education Building, three venerable plane trees have grown so close over time that their crowns have merged, creating a unique spectacle of three trees becoming one. Nearby, along the main lawn, a majestic avenue is lined with plane trees, now carpeted with fallen leaves.

The zookeepers creatively repurpose this autumn bounty. After being collected, disinfected, and dried, the leaves are used to create "seasonal autumn carpets" in animal enclosures. These natural substrates provide sensory enrichment through sound and smell, simulate wild environments, help regulate temperature and humidity, and even offer protective cushioning for creatures like turtles.

Furthermore, native plants and species that serve as food sources for animals supply autumn and winter nourishment for Shanghai's local wildlife within the zoo. This practice promotes ecological balance and aids in natural pest control, enhancing the overall health of the zoo's environment.

Changning to upgrade financial services under ‘Greater Hongqiao’ strategy

The 2025 Shanghai Securities-Greater Hongqiao Financial High-Quality Development Forum took place in Changning District on December 12. Changning Party Secretary Zhang Wei stressed that Changning will continue to leverage the strategic advantages of the "Greater Hongqiao" initiative to advance and upgrade the development of regional financial services.

He said that the district will rely on core platforms such as the Changning Financial Park and the Xijiao International Financial Industry Park to deepen expertise in specialized areas like industrial funds and project mergers and acquisitions. Efforts will be made to expand the scale of M&A transactions, strengthen resource integration in mergers and acquisitions, and enhance post-investment empowerment. 

Additionally, the district will further improve policy support, attract high-end financial talent, and promote the close integration and mutual empowerment of financial services, technological innovation, and industrial revitalization, thereby continuously enhancing the efficiency and quality of financial services in supporting the real economy, he added.

In December last year, the inaugural Shanghai Securities-Greater Hongqiao Financial High-Quality Development Forum was held in Changning, establishing a platform for government-enterprise exchange. In January this year, the Shanghai Securities News and the Changning District government formally signed a cooperation framework agreement.

Changning will use this forum as an opportunity to further consolidate financial expertise, gather high-quality resources, and collaborate with more financial institutions, enterprises, and professional organizations, officials said.

Autumn's palette transforms Xinhua Road into a picture-perfect promenade

As deep autumn arrives, crisp winds have tipped over nature's paintbox, transforming the plane trees lining the 2,434-meter-long Xinhua Road from green to gold. Their leaves dance in the breeze, unveiling a scene of exceptional beauty. This weekend is the perfect time to visit Xinhua Road and capture its fleeting autumn splendor.

Turning from Panyu Road, the first sight to greet visitors is the "Xinhua Road" street sign, playfully half-hidden by golden leaves. Its deep blue background contrasts beautifully with the surrounding warm hues, making every snapshot look like a ready-made vintage postcard. 

Further along, several dawn redwoods unexpectedly rise from the sea of plane trees, their forms completely dipped in a caramel shade. Their straight trunks reach for the sky, creating a painterly, layered scene with the neighboring old villas adorned with red tiles and white walls.

A pocket park at a lane entrance offers its own delightful surprise. Low shrubs remain vibrantly green, while a few branches of fiery red maple stretch out beside them, burning like flames. An art sculpture nestled behind the foliage adds a modern touch, its metallic contours reflecting the colorful autumn leaves—a blend of cool hardness wrapped in the soft essence of the season.

Peeking through the gaps in the foliage are the peaked roofs of foreign-style houses in the historic lanes. Their carved railings are dusted with fallen leaves. When the wind whispers through, leaves and dappled light sway together across the old walls.

Now is the prime time of deep autumn, where every moment offers a beautiful scene. Why not take advantage of this weekend, stroll down Xinhua Road, catch a few falling leaves, and tuck a pocketful of autumn's romance away?