Serving the future with vision

On November 8, the supporting forum of the second China International Import Expo—"Lujiazui: An Important Force Connecting China to the World"—was held at the National Exhibition and Convention Center.

The forum will bring together leaders from Pudong New Area, senior officials from international organizations, renowned experts and scholars, and top executives from leading companies to deliver speeches on topics such as "China's Expanding Openness to the World and Building Strategic Pillars for Global Cities," "Global Brands Entering the Chinese Market and Enhancing Lujiazui's Capacity for Global Resource Allocation," and "Creating a New Hub for Global Asset Management and Strengthening Lujiazui's Position as a Global Financial Center." Participants will share insightful case studies, broaden perspectives, and inspire fresh ideas.
 
Tomson Group, one of the earliest companies to "take a look" and subsequently put down roots in Pudong, has witnessed the region's development and opening-up. Tomson Group Vice Chairman Tang Zijia delivered a speech at the forum. Her remarks were as follows:

Serving the future with vision
— A builder of Pudong's development and opening-up, driven by confidence, vision, and patience.

 
Distinguished guests and friends, it's an honor to stand here and speak.

Tomson Group has been present in Pudong for 27 years—since 1992, we’ve proudly served as both builders and witnesses to Pudong’s remarkable development and opening-up. I still recall my first visit to Lujiazui; back then, I took a ferry across the river. Today, everything has transformed dramatically, evolving at an astonishing pace.

It should be said that Tomson entered Shanghai in 1992, dedicating ourselves wholeheartedly to Pudong. We encountered numerous challenges along the way, but we’ve always maintained our confidence in Shanghai as a city, clearly envisioning Pudong’s current structure and its promising future—and patiently continued our efforts, working steadily toward our goals.

First, regarding confidence. , let me share a past story:
During the 1997 financial crisis, there was a particularly perilous period when our group’s founder, Mr. Tang Junnian—my father—faced a critical decision: whether to abandon our mainland assets and shift resources back to support our holdings in Hong Kong and Taiwan.

With a mix of anxiety and hope, we sought advice from Mayor Zhao Qizheng, who was then in charge of Pudong. His three remarks firmly reinforced our confidence in continuing to hold onto our Pudong assets.
1. Mainland China has not yet been heavily impacted by the financial crisis, so deciding whether to withdraw funds back to Hong Kong and Taiwan—or keep them in Shanghai—requires comparing the potential future returns and risks of each location.
2. The biggest developers in Pudong and Lujiazui aren not Tomson—but rather the Shanghai Municipal Government, along with the four major development companies: Lujiazui, Jinqiao, Waigaoqiao, and Zhangjiang. Moreover, the government will continue to invest heavily in Pudong’s development moving forward. Developing Pudong is a long-term policy and a sustained, long-term investment, and Shanghai City remains firmly committed to making Pudong a thriving hub for the future.
3. If Tomson faces challenges, the company can adjust its development strategy—but we hope Tomson will grow alongside Shanghai and Pudong.

It was precisely this conversation that gave the Tomson Group a glimpse into the Shanghai municipal government's unwavering confidence and determination regarding Pudong's development and opening-up efforts.

So, "confidence" is crucial—after this speech, even if our group faced a crisis more severe than the one in '97, we remained steadfast. From that moment on, armed with unwavering confidence in Pudong, we’ve firmly taken root in this land. Today, our core businesses are almost entirely based on the mainland—and right here in Pudong.

Second, regarding "vision":
When Tangchen Yipin was first planned in 2000, a Japanese developer proposed whether one of the buildings in Tangchen Yipin could be made into small apartments suitable for Japanese people. They were willing to lease long-term or even buy outright. My father, Mr. Tang Junnian, simply laughed off this request.

Because we believe Lujiazui’s future will attract world-class enterprises, from the very beginning of our planning, our goal has been to serve the entrepreneurs who are building their businesses—both in China, in Pudong, and specifically in Lujiazui—while helping their companies and families thrive and grow here for the long term.

Nineteen years have passed, and everything has been confirmed—our perseverance back then was indeed the right choice.

Jack Ma said, "Because we believe, we can see." We believe in the future of Lujiazui, so we’re planning our products according to the world’s highest standards.

Third, it's patience.
Because we have a clear vision for the future and confidence in Pudong's business environment, we view our business journey as a long-term endeavor. We approach Pudong's growth with a strategic, operational mindset, actively developing and holding onto a substantial portfolio of assets.

Many people don’t realize that we’ve been heavily involved in the development of Pudong, contributing to the construction of a wide variety of properties—ranging from residential homes and five-star hotels to office buildings, industrial parks, logistics centers, factories, and retail spaces.

We developed Pudong’s first 5A office building and its first five-star hotel. Additionally, the Zhangjiang Microelectronics Port—a pioneering industrial park designed specifically to support science and technology innovation enterprises—has nurtured iconic IT companies like Shanda Games and China Literature Group. And our talent apartments in Zhangjiang were also among the earliest long-term rental complexes on Pudong.

It should be said that wherever Pudong's development required a specific type of property, Tomson always stepped in to build it—and continues to serve Pudong by holding onto these properties. As of today, the Tomson Group manages and operates over 500,000 square meters of property assets in Pudong.

Indeed, patience stems from resilience and unwavering dedication—so when it comes to contributing to the development of Pudong, our commitment isn’t just a fleeting passion, but a long-term partnership.
 

Finally,
We hope everyone, together with Tangchen, will hold the strongest confidence in Shanghai and Pudong, looking toward the farthest future. China's rise is not limited to this; the future of Shanghai and Pudong will be even better, and the story of Lujiazui still has a more exciting second half to come.

We must move forward with the city, embracing progress to create a brighter future together.
 
Thank you, everyone!

 
Tang Zijia
November 2019