SHINE | 13-Jul-2020 | By Li Xinran
From countryside to the development zone and from the pilot zone of comprehensive reform to the pilot free trade zone, Pudong has become an icon of China’s modernization process.
Pudong plans to create new strategic advantages amid further reform and opening-up. Value Retail Shanghai Village, next door to the Shanghai Disneyland, houses more than 100 boutique stores featuring fashion brands from around the world. In the IFC Mall in Lujiazui, the century-old French shoemaker Berluti store looks like an art hall. Each pair of the haute couture shoes is sold for more than 10,000 yuan (US$1,456).
In the IFC Mall, the basement is where haute couture products are available and the floors above house stores of other prestigious brands. Almost every influential brand has opened a store in the IFC Mall. Lujiazui is a landmark of luxury retail. Apart from introducing famous fashion brands, Lujiazui will also promote new commercial projects and cooperate with international retail giants, such as the upmarket French department store chain Galeries Lafayette.
To optimize a business environment has always been a mission of Pudong’s leadership. The China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone has generated 127 institutional innovations replicated throughout the country since it was established in September 2013. Pudong is well aware that reform is by no means a single innovation. Because single reform is easy to replicate, only innovation based on multiple integration can create exclusive advantages.
Reducing administrative examination and approval items and improving administrative efficiency have always been the most important tasks of Pudong’s exploration for further reform. Since its opening-up and development, Pudong has taken the lead in reforming the administrative examination and approval system. In 2001, there were 724 administrative examination and approval items in Pudong, which was reduced to 242 items by 2013, and now 104 items.
At present, a unified approval system offers enterprises online processing from declaration to pre-examination, acceptance, review, decision-making and the issuance of certification. All the 104 administrative examination and approval items have been included in the unified online approval system, while 74 of them can be dealt with online and applicants for the rest are only required to visit the counter once after they submit materials online.
On the opposite of Pudong New Area government building is the Public Service Center of Shanghai. It offers a one-stop solution for local citizens and businesses to handle administrative affairs. Additionally, an “everybody finding fault” counter was established to improve government service.
Taking the opportunity to build the “four brands of Shanghai,” Pudong is constantly creating new strategic advantages, opening up new development spaces, and seeking greater competitive advantage in the next 10 to 20 years and achieving an irreplaceable “Pudong brand.”
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