Boldly stepping forward as a trailblazer for the new journey of reform and opening-up, Pudong has become a global arena where top talents from around the world compete.

　　On April 18, 2019, Pudong celebrated the 29th anniversary of its development and opening-up. On April 18, 1990, the Party Central Committee and the State Council made the historic decision to develop and open up Pudong. This landmark decision brought national attention to Pudong, which at the time hadn’t even been marked on maps yet—ushering in a pivotal turning point in the region’s destiny.
　　"Seize the momentum of Pudong's development—stay steadfast and unwavering, pushing forward until completion. Born out of reform and opening-up, Pudong has thrived precisely because of them. Today, Pudong is evolving from a pioneering window of China’s reform and opening-up into a vibrant experimental ground for comprehensively deepening reforms. Many groundbreaking initiatives first tested here are now being replicated and rolled out across the country. On the shores of the East China Sea, this dynamic hub of reform is unfurling powerful sails that propel the nation’s transformative journey forward, riding the waves of change with determination and innovation."

　　Today, Pudong, occupying 1/5 of Shanghai's total land area and home to 1/4 of the city's permanent population, generates one-third of Shanghai’s economic output, accounts for 40% of the city’s strategic emerging industries, contributes 50% of the added value in the financial sector, and represents 60% of the city’s total foreign trade volume. After 29 years of development and opening-up, Pudong’s regional GDP has surged from 6 billion yuan in 1990 to 1 trillion yuan in 2018—a growth exceeding 100-fold. "Moving from the 100-billion-yuan level to the 1-trillion-yuan level marks a breakthrough of monumental proportions, profoundly boosting Pudong’s confidence in driving economic growth while also setting a powerful new benchmark for its future aspirations," commented Shen Kaiyan, Director of the Institute of Economics at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, on Pudong’s "critical leap."
　　Today, Pudong has become Shanghai's growth engine and driving force, serving as a microcosm of Shanghai's modernization efforts and a symbol of China's reform and opening-up policy.

If you don't rely on your father
Pudong is the best choice.

　　“Don’t rely on your dad—come to Pudong instead.” This once-famous quote was widely praised when Shen Xiaoming, then Secretary of the CPC Pudong New Area Committee, delivered it at Tsinghua University’s campus recruitment event. His exact words were: “If you’re not part of the ‘daddy-funded’ crowd, choosing Shanghai’s Pudong is the best decision you can make.”
　　For those who haven’t been to Shanghai, their impression of Pudong might still be tied to its iconic landmarks—such as the Oriental Pearl Tower, Jin Mao Building, Shanghai Tower, and the Shanghai World Financial Center—and the breathtaking skyline they help define.

　　Shanghai’s ever-rising skyline undeniably showcases Pudong’s impressive "hard power," but beneath this tangible strength lies its true pride: a transparent business environment, a fair and inclusive employment climate, and a vibrant cultural scene—qualities that collectively form Pudong’s "soft power." These elements have been instrumental in helping Pudong continue to create one remarkable success story after another.
　　According to a survey by Deloitte, Pudong New Area is China’s most successful region for foreign investment. Not only are financially robust multinational corporations flocking to Pudong, but an increasing number of ambitious entrepreneurs eager to create startup success stories are also choosing Pudong as their top destination.

　　In fact, facing new challenges posed by soaring living and business costs, Pudong is adapting itself—becoming "more flexible"—to address the shortcomings created by its challenging external environment. When you say "housing is in high demand," Pudong responds by building Lujiazui Financial City Talent Apartments, offering residents the convenience of "move-in-ready" accommodations. If you mention "lack of funds to start a business," Pudong rolls up its sleeves to dramatically reduce the costs and barriers to innovation and entrepreneurship. And when people express a "thirst for culture," Pudong brings high-quality cultural events right to their doorsteps, using the city’s "cultural magnetism" to reawaken even the most dormant moments. Time and again, it’s clear that this "soft power" not only makes Pudong increasingly attractive but also significantly boosts its global competitiveness.
　　Pudong translates its "high-level vision" for leading development into a "down-to-earth" approach that genuinely serves businesses and residents, stepping up as the "helpful shop assistant" to continuously enhance the sense of gain and satisfaction among enterprises and the public.

Companies follow one after another.
Chasing dreams, building dreams, and realizing dreams in Pudong

　　Pudong, with its open and dynamic development, is brimming with business opportunities and vibrant energy—acting like a magnet that draws companies from both China and abroad to flock here.
　　In April 1992, Tang Junnian, a Taiwanese businessman known as the "pioneer of Pudong's development," flew from Hong Kong to Beijing to visit his wife, Xu Feng, who was filming "Farewell My Concubine." During dinner, someone overheard that Tang Junnian hailed from Nanhu, Pudong, Shanghai, and casually mentioned to him that Pudong was currently the hottest spot for investment on the Chinese mainland.
　　"As soon as he heard about it, he immediately set off for Pudong—after all, this place is his hometown. He felt almost eager to get there, and once he arrived in Shanghai, he ended up staying for over a month..." Xu Feng recalled.
　　Back then, Shanghai residents had a saying: "I’d rather have a bed in Puxi than a room in Pudong." At that time, Pudong was still largely rural, with fields everywhere and muddy, impassable roads. Even today, the bustling Lujiazui riverside promenade—once famously known as Lan Ni Du Road—still carries that nostalgic nickname. Yet, after seeing it firsthand, Tang Junnian was utterly thrilled. He immediately approached the management committee, demanding prime Pudong land directly across from the Bund, along with another plot perfect for building a golf course. These two plots would eventually become the iconic landmarks of Shanghai’s affluent elite: Tangcheng Yipin, synonymous with luxury and controversy—and its neighboring Tangshan Golf Course, both celebrated for setting record-breaking prices year after year.

　　To the Pudong officials at the time, this suddenly emerging Taiwanese businessman was a delightful surprise. After all, having an internationally standardized golf course in the heart of Pudong—once largely agricultural land—would dramatically enhance the region’s investment climate, making its role in attracting foreign capital to Pudong self-evident. Tang Junnian quickly and decisively coordinated with the head of the management committee on the land auction process, leading to the establishment of "Shanghai Tomson Group Co., Ltd." in Pudong. Just six months later, the company successfully secured the prime plot for the Tomson Golf Course along Longdong Avenue in Pudong—through a competitive bidding process. Remarkably, the price Tang Junnian paid, $30 million, was more than double that offered by the other Japanese company also vying for the site, making his bid one of the most aggressive yet rare instances of direct competition for such prime real estate at the time.
　　After 1992, Tang Junnian not only advanced the development of the Tomson Golf Course and golf villas but also began planning Pudong's first five-star hotel (later known as the Tomson Jinjiang InterContinental Hotel) and its first Grade-A office building (the Tomson Financial Center). To secure the necessary funding, he even sold the "World Trade Tower" located in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, raising a substantial $2.2 billion to invest in Pudong's ambitious projects.
　　As Tang Junnian continued his rapid ascent, in 1992 and 1993, alongside him—sharing the same passionate vision for the mainland market—were Chen Yongtai, Chairman of the Ardant Group, and Zhang Minyu, Chairman of Taiwan’s Chia Shin Cement, who originally hails from Ningbo.
　　In 1997, as the Asian financial crisis erupted, the Tomson Group, buoyed by its strong confidence in Pudong's development and opening-up, relinquished some of its previously secured land-development rights in exchange for cash to bolster its existing projects—such as Tomson Golf & Golf Villas, Tomson Financial Tower, Tomson Jinjiang InterContinental Hotel, and the Tomson Waigaoqiao project. At the same time, the company retained the land rights for its future flagship luxury residential development in China: Tomson One.
  

　　As time swiftly passes and Pudong’s development and opening-up efforts continue to flourish, foreign capital has been steadily flowing in on a large scale. As one of the first waves of investors to enter Pudong, Taiwanese businesses still carry forward their historic mission—yet today’s new generation of Taiwanese entrepreneurs brings not only capital and management expertise, but also cutting-edge technology.

"The future has arrived."
Pudong showcases "China's Confidence"

　　Deng Xiaoping, the chief architect of China's reform and opening-up policy, once said: "Shenzhen faces Hong Kong, Zhuhai faces Macau, and Xiamen faces Taiwan—but Pudong is different. Pudong looks out toward the Pacific Ocean, toward Europe and America, and indeed, the entire world."
　　During its development and opening-up process, Pudong has attracted substantial foreign investment, optimized Shanghai's industrial layout, and enhanced the city's overall functional capabilities. Meanwhile, intensive infrastructure development has created a robust network of connections—reaching out to surrounding regions and linking Shanghai to the global economy—thus propelling the city’s transformation from a traditional industrial hub into a leading economic center.
　　Latest data shows that 310 of the world's Fortune 500 companies have established operations in Pudong, attracting a total of $78.99 billion in actual foreign investment. As of the end of 2018, Pudong New Area had already gathered over 600 headquarters enterprises of various types, including 304 regional headquarters of multinational corporations—accounting for nearly half of Shanghai's total.
　　Driven by the development and opening-up of Pudong, Shanghai has not only transformed dramatically—becoming "unrecognizable in a year and completely reshaped in three"—but has also sparked rapid growth across a range of cities and regions, from Suzhou, Wuxi, and Changzhou in Jiangsu to Hangzhou, Jiaxing, and Huzhou in Zhejiang. Meanwhile, the Yangtze River Delta's integration is finally moving toward meaningful breakthroughs.

　　Today, as Pudong—a region whose economic output has entered the "trillion-yuan club"—shifts away from solely focusing on GDP as the measure of success. Instead, it now emphasizes metrics like yield per mu, profitability, energy consumption, and environmental impact to truly gauge progress. The area is also aggressively phasing out outdated production capacities, addressing safety hazards, identifying financial risks, and prying open the facade of artificial prosperity to expose its underlying weaknesses. After all, only high-quality GDP can serve as a bedrock—as solid and enduring as granite—to underpin Pudong's sustainable development for years to come.
　　Empowering innovation through technology, Pudong is seizing the opportunity of major industrial transformations by focusing on "China's Core," the "Blue Sky Dream," innovative pharmaceuticals, "Future Mobility," intelligent manufacturing, and the "Data Hub." To boost economic density, Pudong's leading industrial parks are meticulously optimizing land use—approaching each plot of land with the same care and precision as embroidery—to maximize output per mu. Meanwhile, Pudong is intensifying efforts to enhance resource allocation efficiency by vigorously developing key factor markets and fostering a robust headquarters economy, positioning itself to gain greater influence over global pricing dynamics.
　　In Pudong, people often feel that "the future has already arrived," as self-driving vehicles have begun patrolling the streets of Zhangjiang AI Island; at Yangshan Port's unmanned terminal, fully automated machinery is now controlled entirely by computers; and in Lingang’s "dark factory," smart robots handle every step of the production line—seamlessly and efficiently.

Promote urban renewal
Creating a new legend for the new era

　　The pioneering entrepreneurs of an earlier generation wrote a legendary chapter in Pudong—every building here holds its own unique story. But what does the future have in store for Pudong?
　　Development is for the people, and the ultimate goal of high-quality development is to create a high-quality life that benefits everyone. In the early stages of Pudong’s development, improving people’s livelihoods was clearly an area where progress lagged behind—this is an undeniable reality. As a result, addressing these "weaknesses" has become especially urgent. By completing long-overdue public infrastructure projects like schools, we can ease parents’ worries about their children’s education. By bringing high-quality medical resources closer to residents, we ensure they no longer have to travel far just to access care. State-owned enterprises are stepping in to establish elderly care facilities, relieving seniors of concerns about their future well-being. And by creating “15-minute service circles,” we’re making it easier than ever for residents to handle daily tasks right at their doorstep, saving them the hassle of long commutes.

　　Facing new situations and challenges, Pudong—now approaching its 30th anniversary—has been entrusted with a fresh mission: to boldly lead the way as it embraces its pivotal role in today’s era. It will roll out innovative initiatives to fully align with Shanghai’s four major strategic pillars, achieve breakthroughs in the construction of the free trade pilot zone, make meaningful strides in building a science and technology innovation hub, and forge strategic advantages that drive high-quality development. Ultimately, Pudong aims to enhance its global resource allocation capabilities, cultivate world-class industrial clusters, and unlock new momentum for economic growth.
　　Standing at the dawn of a new era, Pudong is taking the lead in "restarting reform and opening-up," boldly forging ahead to tackle challenges, break barriers, and pioneer breakthroughs for this fresh wave of development—and the legend of a new age is already being written.