The Shanghai Zhangjiang National Innovation Demonstration Zone has vowed to become an important foundation of Shanghai's vigorous economic growth by promoting constant scientific innovation and building a favorable development environment.

Approved as a national independent innovation demonstration zone by the State Council in 2011, the Zhangjiang National Innovation Demonstration Zone now has 22 industrial parks across Shanghai, covering a total of more than 531 square kilometers.

Under these industrial parks in the national-level innovation demonstration zone, there are more than 120 sub-parks that are home to diff erent industrial clusters, such as new-generation information technology, advanced manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, energy and environmental protection.

The zone is also a massive repository for resources, contributed by the more than 70,000 enterprises that are located within it. More than 2,600 of these enterprises are high-tech companies and more than 1,400 are research institutions and organizations.

The zone is responsible for producing a large amount of the latest innovative technologies and products, projects and advanced business development models.

An example of its innovative activities is the fact that China’s first quantum communication industry park is located in the zone. A great deal of research and development on domestic quantum communication has been undertaken in the park, including the world’s first quantum communication experimental satellite, which launched into space from Jiuquan in Gansu province in August last year.

Other projects include a terahertz technology experimental center, a robot capsule endoscopy trial production line, a stem cell translational medicine industry base, an internet of things advanced sensor project and a mobile internet video industrial park.

Official figures show that the total number of invention patents from the zone has surpassed 24,000.

In recent years, Shanghai has set the ambitious goal to build itself into a globally influential science and innovation hub. As it builds toward this goal, the Zhangjiang National Innovation Demonstration Zone has become a vital element of and an important engine for Shanghai’s transformation and transition into a global science and technology hub. 

Zhangjiang National Innovation Demonstration Zone has in recent years developed into an environment that welcomes more new industries and innovative development. In addition, it has been attracting a large number of high-level professionals from around the world. All of these factors help the zone to serve the national strategy for innovative development and economic transformation, said Cao Zhenquan, deputy director of the zone.

Primary students learn to make hand cream with organic silicon in Shanghai Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park. CHEN FEI / XINHUA