Shanghai, at the heart of China's economic engagement with the world, plays a pivotal role in attracting global capital, thus becoming an essential force in China's high-quality development.

The city's financial infrastructure has become a powerful magnet for foreign capital, offering seamless access and high efficiency for international investors. From offshore institutions in Hong Kong trading Chinese bonds with a single click to insurance brokers in Shanghai effortlessly managing billions of insurance policies, Shanghai's financial ecosystem is a model of convenience and connectivity for global markets.

The city's remarkable transformation has helped China's bond market become the second largest globally, with the interbank foreign exchange market seeing a transaction volume of 261.7 trillion yuan in 2024 alone. Shanghai's policies have empowered international banks to innovate products tailored to the needs of global trade.

For example, the Standard Chartered Bank's participation in Belt and Road Initiative projects highlights the city's strategic role in global trade and investment, contributing to the clean energy, electric vehicle, and healthcare sectors.

Beyond financial services, Shanghai has made significant strides in supporting businesses going international. The Hongqiao Overseas Development Service Center's AI-driven platform, Aura, is a case in point. It helps enterprises quickly identify optimal overseas investment locations, dramatically reducing the time spent on market research.

Moreover, the city's "sea-going coaches" provide tailored guidance for first-time exporters, offering policy interpretations, risk assessments, and practical advice on navigating international markets.

Shanghai's logistical capabilities reinforce its position as a global economic node. State-of-the-art port facilities, like the Haitong international car terminal, ensure that Chinese-made automobiles are efficiently exported worldwide. The innovative "green channel" for customs clearance accelerates cross-border shipments, with real-time coordination between ports and customs ensuring a smooth flow of goods.

The city's continuous push for strategic openness, technological innovation, and infrastructure improvement has solidified its role as a linchpin in China's global economic narrative. With its streamlined business environment, state-of-the-art infrastructure, and policies tailored to facilitate international trade, Shanghai exemplifies China's broader ambition for high-level opening-up and global integration.