Shanghai municipal government issued a 15th Five-Year Plan to accelerate its
international trade centre and expand foreign market access. The plan will
deepen service-sector opening pilots, seek category-based relaxation of entry
limits, and pilot liberalisation first in telecoms, digital sectors, financial
services, healthcare, commerce/tourism and transport. It supports upgrading
foreign firms and headquarters capacity by backing local R&D, technology
upgrades and green low-carbon transitions, and by promoting onshore
reinvestment, including equity and M&A. Policies to develop a headquarters
economy will be upgraded to attract regional and global HQ functions—R&D,
treasury, investment decision-making and supply-chain management. Shanghai will
also deepen a foreign R&D centre enhancement plan, optimise recognition and
dynamic evaluation mechanisms, and encourage higher R&D spending and open
innovation.
