Developments in Jiading new town could mean an annual rise of up to 400 billion yuan ($62.14 billion) in industrial output by 2025 thanks to greater opportunities for enterprises, with its powerful automobile industry leading the way. Other enterprises engaging in high-end industries include smart sensors, the internet of things, medical equipment and the online economy.

Located in the northwest of Shanghai, Jiading new town hopes to benefit from the construction of the Hongqiao International Hub, a national plan to expand the 26-square-kilometer Hongqiao Comprehensive Transport Hub into a global central business district, international trade center and major transportation hub, which will cover more than 7,000 sq km by 2035. Meanwhile, it is also involved in the city's latest plan to build new towns in five suburbs, and boost growth in the Yangtze River Delta region.

Jiading will seize the opportunities gained from these favorable conditions to create a firstclass business environment for enterprises in the region, according to officials.

According to Jiading new town's 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) released in March, the town is expected to generate a total annual industrial output of 1 trillion yuan by 2025, compared with its current level of less than 600 billion yuan. Among it, 350 billion yuan will be from the advanced manufacturing sector, while 650 billion yuan will come from trade and service industries.

The annual GDP of Jiading will reach 360 billion yuan by the end of the 14th Five-Year Plan, it said.

Jiading has established a strong position in the auto industry in China, with the presence of a majority of leading industrial players including Volkswagen. By the end of 2020, the area has become home to 261.4-kilometer of roads constructed for testing intelligent connected vehicles.

In Jiading's 14th Five-Year Plan, the dominant position of the auto industry will be reinforced together with other key industries.

By 2025, the output of new energy vehicles in Jiading is forecast to be 100 billion yuan. It expects to have more than 250 high-tech auto enterprises and more than 150 technology centers of auto enterprises by 2025. In addition to building a new energy vehicle charging and replacement network with a wide coverage and superior operation, it will also strive to offer more than 1,300 km of test roads for smart vehicles.

Apart from strengthening the development of the automobile industry, Jiading plans to develop industries focusing on next-generation auto technologies, intelligent sensors, internet of things, and high-end medical equipment.

Jiading also aims to establish a batch of industry clusters covering sectors such as intelligent sensors and auto electronics.

About 300 intelligent sensor and internet of things enterprises will settle in the region by 2025, with research and development centers and industry leaders included.

Jiading also plans to increase the total output of high-performance medical equipment to 100 billion yuan by 2025. A number of internationally leading products and technologies with independent intellectual property rights are expected to be in production by then.

In addition, Jiading will step up its efforts in the development of the online new economy, which is expected to generate a total output value of around 400 billion yuan per year by 2025.

To amplify its innovation, Jiading also plans to build two science and technology parks in partnership with scientific research institutes, universities and colleges. The parks are expected to become hubs for innovation and transformation among the Yangtze River Delta city clusters.

In March, Jiading announced the establishment of an investment promotion and service center, with the goal of attracting more investment to the region.

According to the Jiading government, it will sign around 106 projects with planned investment of 140 billion yuan during the year.