Putuo to develop Wuning innovation axis
Putuo District has released a five-year action plan on the innovation development of Wuning Road, a major thoroughfare link between Shanghai and the Yangtze River Delta region.
The district aims to further develop the “Wuning Innovation Development Axis,” a key site for Putuo to attract innovative sectors, transform scientific achievements and develop new economic growth capability.
According to the district government’s plan, Putuo will make the Wuning Axis the core area for its development through 2021.
A new round of redevelopment will be carried out on both sides of Wuning Road to accelerate attracting all kinds of innovative sectors and platforms, and create a better ecological system for innovation and entrepreneurship.
A batch of major projects on scientific innovation, leading enterprises and innovation teams will be attracted to the axis and encouraged to cooperate with each other.
The government will optimize cooperation between businesses and research institutes to offer a full-chain scientific service system and help the transformation of technologies.
Under the plan, the district aims to attract 100 newly verified high-tech enterprises along with 15 city-level enterprise technology centers.
The district will have nine cooperative projects between research institutes and Putuobased companies. Its innovation parks will finish incubating 75 startups by 2021.
By 2021, the district aims to have registered an average of 32 patents for every 10,000 people and revenue from Putuo’s scientific services sector will grow an average 18 percent annually.
The district also plans to attract 12 high-tech companies on intelligent manufacturing and robotics along with four newly listed tech firms.
The high-tech parks along the Wuning Axis will attract 200 high-end overseas professionals. Construction will start on key projects covering 2.26 million square meters along the axis, which is expected to lead the construction of a new batch of quality office buildings, covering another 2 million square meters.
Currently, Wuning Road is being upgraded to an expressway, along with the construction of the Metro lines 14 and 15.
The Putuo government has carried out a number of projects along with scientific research institutes along Wuning Road, which is expected to drive the transformation and development of the whole district.
The CITIC Scientific Fortune Square on Wuning and Daduhe roads, for instance, is scheduled to be completed by 2020. The project covering 229,000 square meters will attract research and development centers of multinational enterprises and new research institutes as well as offices of headquarters, recreation shopping and culture entertainment venues.
The landmark Huxi Worker Cultural Palace is being renovated to become a comprehensive cultural activity center, focusing on cultural innovation, education and training as well as entertainment. It will also offer space for scientific service businesses such as research designing and scientific finance.
The revamping of Xiaoyujia Lane aims to improve residents’ living environment around Wuning Road and develop the traditional (stone-gate house) lane-style community into an open neighborhood incorporating cultural recreation, living and public space.
Hongqi Village, a former notorious run-down urban settlement, will be converted into a modern community, with a cultural ambience, good ecological environment and innovative designs.
Public squares, central parks, open neighborhoods and a multi-level transport system have been planned for the village.
A commercial office complex, including office buildings, innovative parks, apartments, hotels and commercial facilities will be built at the Bailian shopping plaza project.
The district will also drive the development of various scientific platforms and parks to support the Wuning Axis.
The Shanghai robot research and transformation platform, for instance, offers criteria, research and development, test and verification for the robotics industry.
An official with the platform said it also aims to standardize the robotics industry through its criteria system, application platform and technology verification service.
It will become a key support to realizing the Wuning Axis blueprint as well as driving the robotics development of Shanghai and the country, the official added.
The Shanghai Universal Software Park, another major high-tech park of Putuo, plans to focus on key industries and expand the management and size of the park to contribute to the development of the Wuning innovation development axis, according to the park.
The Putuo government will also establish a Wuning Innovation Development Axis Council to gather talent from nearby universities, research institutes, enterprises and associations.
The council will become the think tank for Putuo’s scientific innovation to drive the development of the Wuning Axis as well as facilitate the city government’s ambition to become a “scientific innovation center with global influence,” the Putuo government said.