CCTV:

According to Shanghai's 14th Five-Year Plan, the municipality will strive to become a central point for China's domestic circulation and a strategic link connecting domestic and international circulation in China's new development paradigm. Can you detail this deployment? What are the key areas where efforts will be made? Thank you!

Gong Zheng:

Shanghai's goal in China's new development paradigm is to serve as a central point for domestic circulation and a strategic link connecting domestic and international circulation, just as I introduced earlier. This means the city will better serve production, distribution, flow of goods and services, and consumption in China to further smooth national economic circulation. The strategic link for domestic and international circulation mainly focuses on exchanges in which we aim to achieve four links: factor link, production capacity link, market link and link of rules. We will reinforce the city's position as a hub for domestic openness and openness to the outside world, and make it the best springboard for going global and a forward position for bringing in. The overall deployment is to accelerate efforts in the following four aspects.

First, we will pursue integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta region and carry out relevant strategies accordingly. We will give full play to Shanghai's leading role in the region, and strengthen institutional innovation, deepen cooperation, promote both domestic openness and openness to the outside world, and enhance the level of complementarity and coordination within the Yangtze River Delta region while keeping our focus on integrated and high-quality development.

Second, we will accelerate efforts to form a new spatial pattern for development. We will enhance the capacity of the main urban areas to serve and drive the development of other areas. We will give full play to the roles of the Shanghai Pilot Free Trade Zone, the Lingang Special Area of the zone, the Demonstration Zone for Green and Integrated Development of the Yangtze River Delta Region and the Hongqiao International Hub for Opening-up, which are located in east and west Shanghai. We will build the five districts of Jiading, Qingpu, Songjiang, Fengxian and Nanhui into independent comprehensive peripheral cities. We will promote the functional layout adjustment and economic structure upgrading of Baoshan and Jinshan in north and south Shanghai. Among these efforts, the top priority is the development of the five districts of Jiading, Qingpu, Songjiang, Fengxian and Nanhui. Their development will feature industry-city integration, complete function, work-living balance, livability, convenient transportation and efficient governance to become new strategic points for Shanghai's future development.

Third, we will accelerate the improvement of the economic growth pattern. Much of our attention will be paid to pressing ahead with the development of five types of economy: the innovation economy, the service economy, the headquarters economy, the open economy and the flow economy. These types of economy represent the city's economic growth direction as well as the strength and advantages of Shanghai's economy.

Fourth, we will accelerate integrated urban-rural development. Suburbs and villages are precious rare resources for Shanghai. Without the modernization of the suburban countryside, there will be no modernization for the entirety of Shanghai. We will further carry out the rural vitalization strategy, promote two-way flow of capital and talents, and work toward overall integration and common prosperity of urban and rural areas.

Therefore, we will continue to improve strength in the following four aspects. 

First, we will strengthen scientific and technological innovation for greater growth momentum. We will uphold the core position of innovation in development, and accelerate efforts to build up China's strategic capacity in science and technology, resolve bottleneck problems, give play to the role of enterprises as the principal entities in technological innovation, and build an international high-caliber innovation talent pool.

Second, we will tap the potential of domestic demand for more growth potential. We will promote efforts to expand consumption and improve consumption quality, increase the efficiency of investment, transform and upgrade foreign trade, and vigorously develop the "debut of new products" economy, night economy, tax refund and exemption economy, and brand economy. 

Third, we will further promote reform and opening-up for greater vitality. We will spearhead efforts to systematically integrate reform measures, increase their synergy and efficiency, and gain experience. We will accelerate efforts to build an open economy on a higher level, promote high-level reform and opening-up in Pudong district, and build a leading model for socialist modernization.

Fourth, we will further promote digital transformation. We will focus on three aspects of digitalization -- forming new supply via digital economy, meeting new demand via digital life, and optimizing environment via digital governance – so as to create an international digital metropolis with global influence. Thank you!