Technological innovation is the starting point for the development of new quality productive forces. This process involves transforming traditional industries and nurturing emerging sectors, ultimately leading to a significant qualitative leap in productivity.  Shanghai, propelled by technological innovation, has undertaken the restructuring of traditional industries while pioneering new ones. This strategic approach has led to numerous groundbreaking achievements, some of which are unprecedented, thereby raising the level of productivity. This concerted effort has facilitated a significant leap forward in the…

New quality productive forces are key for China to continue building a modern industrial system and attain sustainable development. The strategy, first mentioned by Chinese President Xi Jinping last September, is also crucial for achieving the objectives and tasks set out in the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) in its final year of implementation.   With innovation playing the leading role, new quality productive forces mean advanced productivity that is freed from traditional growth constraints, features high technology, high efficiency and high…

Automated guided vehicles shuttle through the workshop and transport various parts to different production lines. The huge robotic arm completes each step incessantly and quietly. The humming sound of machines and noise of factory floor conversations associated with traditional manufacturing processes are largely absent.   That’s the scene at the Lingang Base of Shanghai-headquartered SAIC Motor Passenger Vehicle Co., one of China’s top automakers.   But SAIC is not alone. More and more factories in Shanghai are making use of advanced technologies…

The medical equipment valley in Jiading District of Shanghai, known as Shanghai MedValley, is a powerhouse of medical innovation. As an industrial park centred on creative medical equipment development, the valley has gathered a cluster of high-end medical device enterprises and highly qualified professionals. It aims to promote new quality productive forces in the medical field, with a focus on developing devices for advanced diagnosis and highly effective treatment. It is home to seven major research institutions and joint labs,…

In March, Apple opened its largest retail store on the Chinese mainland in Shanghai – the company’s second-largest flagship store after its Fifth Avenue outlet in New York. The new addition brings Apple’s store tally in Shanghai and the Chinese market to eight and 57, respectively, a significant milestone for the company, which opened its first store in China in 2008.  During his high-profile China visit, Apple CEO Tim Cook, who opened the doors to the new store in Shanghai…

Workers at a kitchen appliances manufacturer use robotic arms to make a pot in less than five minutes; dock workers use levers in an office to accurately grab and move containers; and doctors operate auxiliary robot systems to perform complex surgical operations with just a flick of their fingers …   In Shanghai, artificial intelligence (AI) has become a common sight in numerous fields including smart production, smart finance, and smart cities, and is profoundly changing people’s lifestyles. AI and other…