Reference News Network, January 8 report. According to the Hong Kong South China Morning Post website, January 7 report, Shanghai has announced a series of new investments targeting high-tech industries such as chips, artificial intelligence, and aviation.

According to local media reports, on January 5, Pudong New Area of Shanghai announced 50 key projects with a total investment exceeding 70 billion yuan, most of which will be directed toward key industries such as chips, artificial intelligence, biopharmaceuticals, intelligent vehicles, and aviation.

Shanghai is the latest Chinese city to launch a technology investment boom at the beginning of the new year. Officials across the country have responded to Beijing's call, focusing on developing independent capabilities in core technologies when planning work for 2026 and beyond.

For example, Pudong has set goals to push four clusters—integrated circuits, biopharmaceuticals, intelligent connected vehicles, and software and information services—toward a scale of 500 billion yuan, while two other clusters—artificial intelligence and smart terminals—will aim for 200 billion yuan, and four more clusters—civil aviation, shipbuilding and marine engineering, embodied intelligence, and new energy—will reach 100 billion yuan.

Mr. Fu Weigang, Executive Director of the Shanghai Institute of Finance and Law, said that in the context of important technological competition between China and the United States, Shanghai will play an important role in China's plan.

Pudong is home to many top Chinese companies, such as chip manufacturer SMIC. Zhangjiang Science City is also located in Pudong. This is a large-scale high-tech park that gathers start-ups in the fields of biopharmaceuticals and chips, as well as an increasing number of start-ups in artificial intelligence, robotics, and chip equipment sectors.

Official data shows that in the first three quarters of 2025, the total revenue of 394 large-scale enterprises in Shanghai increased by nearly 40%, reaching about 435 billion yuan.

Shanghai also plays an important role in China's aviation industry, with its main manufacturing base of COMAC.

According to reports, in 2024, Shanghai's GDP reached 5.39 trillion yuan, ranking first among cities in China.

Mrs. Fu Weigang said: "Shanghai's advantage lies in being able to use its status as a financial and trade center to provide financial support to tech companies. The manufacturing industrial chain in Shanghai is more complete than that of many American cities. This means that new technologies can be put into production faster in Shanghai."

Other major cities have also announced similar plans to promote local technology industries. Shenzhen has set the goal of "supporting artificial intelligence to enter every household and deeply empower all industries" over the next five years.

In Mr. Fu Weigang's view, the U.S.-China technological competition is essentially a confrontation between California in the United States and central cities like Shanghai and Shenzhen in China. However, local governments in China are playing an active role. "Unlike the United States, the government here is fully involved. A proactive government is China's unique advantage, which is crucial for achieving breakthroughs in cutting-edge technologies where the market and enterprises cannot reach." (Translated by Liu Ziyuan)

On December 6, 2025, visitors stopped to watch at the robot exhibition area of the Pudong Development and Opening Exhibition. (Photo by Fang Zhe)

Original source: toutiao.com/article/7592861544858354228/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author."