Zhu Zhisong, deputy secretary-general of the Shanghai Municipal Government and executive deputy director of the Lin-gang Special Area Administration, was invited to attend the online seminar of the Walk in Free Trade Zone event. [Photo/thepaper.cn]

Zhu Zhisong expressed hope that Lin-gang Special Area would become more attractive to talent at the first online seminar of an event entitled Walk in Free Trade Zone(FTZ) held by the Office of the Central Leading Group for Cyberspace Affairs on Aug 28.

Lin-gang has been taking advantage of national strategies and its strategic location to attract talent, according to Zhu.

Well Located

"The 'special' in Lin-gang Special Area refers to a special economic function, as well as the Yangshan Special Comprehensive Bonded Zone", Zhu said.

Lin-gang is located north of the Pudong International Airport, the world's third-largest cargo airport, and to the south of the Yangshan Deepwater Port, the world's largest container port. It is well-connected by air, sea, water, rail, road, and port.

Lin-gang looks to international FTZs as standard bearers and is looking to further open its economy by implementing competitive open policies and systems.

The "special" also refers to a special industrial foundation. Lin-gang has achieved a high level of development in high-end equipment and new energy vehicles (NEV) over the past 16 years.

After being named an FTZ, Lin-gang was able to improve its industrial systems for artificial intelligence, bio-medicine, integrated circuits, civil aviation, NEVs, and equipment manufacturing.

National Strategy

Lin-gang Special Area benefits from national strategies that attract many companies to the area. Many of the area's entrepreneurs want to contribute to national development and and view Lin-gang as a great place to do this, Zhu said.

As a result of these nation strategies, Lin-gang has managed to create a friendly business environment for enterprises.

PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) recently released a report on business environments, which shows that under the World Bank's Doing Business Index, the business environment in Lin-gang is among the best in the world with a total score of 83.2.

Lin-gang ranks ninth on the list, ahead of developed countries such as Sweden and Norway, according to the report.

The government has been working with enterprises to establish a hub for systematic innovations and high-quality development in order to make life more comfortable and convenient for talent and enterprises.

Embracing talent

Talent is the foundation of any industrial base, according to Zhu.

He added that Lin-gang will not put up high barriers for talent and welcomes young people in many different vocations.

Lin-gang plans to become a pleasant and modern city to live and work in. It also hopes to become more intelligent, environmentally friendly, open, and innovative.

Since the establishment of Lin-gang Special Area, it has been dedicated to improving transportation, reducing waste, building more residential areas, and improving education, medical treatment, and elderly care.