Nigeria Times

By Zhong Sheng, People’s Daily

On April 30, China’s State Council Information Office issued a white paper titled “Covid-19 Prevention, Control and Origins Tracing: China’s Actions and Stance.”

The document provides a comprehensive account of China’s contributions to virus origins tracing and global cooperation in fighting COVID-19, supported by detailed data and scientific evidence.

It also demonstrates China’s consistent position as a responsible major country in advocating science-based origins tracing and international cooperation, and firmly opposes the erroneous practice of politicizing public health issues.

The COVID-19 pandemic stands as the fastest-spreading and most extensive global health crisis that humanity has faced in a century. Its containment requires the concerted efforts of all countries.

From the onset of the pandemic, the collective effort of the whole Chinese nation enabled China to emerge victorious from the crisis – a historic feat for a populous nation like China.While unrelenting in its domestic efforts to contain the virus, China has unreservedly shared its experience to facilitate global pandemic control, done all it could for international anti-epidemic cooperation, fulfilled its international responsibilities, and demonstrated its ethical commitment as a major country.

Tracing the origins of the virus is a serious scientific issue. China has always applied a science-based approach to the task of tracing the virus origins, actively engaging with the World Health Organization (WHO) in communication and cooperation.

At the invitation of China, the WHO sent two international expert missions to the country to carry out a joint study into the origins of the virus in 2020 and 2021 respectively. Their findings were compiled into a joint study report that was released globally. With its rigorous and scientifically sound conclusions, the report earned endorsements from both the international community and the scientific community.

China has actively participated in global virus origins-tracing efforts with the greatest sincerity. Through systematic epidemiological investigations, molecular tracing, animal host screening, and studies on cold-chain transmission, the possibility of Wuhan being the natural origin of SARS-CoV-2 was scientifically ruled out. These efforts have provided the global scientific community with critical empirical evidence and established a research paradigm for future studies.

To date, no findings have contradicted the conclusions of the “WHO-convened Global Study of Origins of SARS-CoV-2: China Part – Joint WHO-China Study.”

The international community widely acknowledges that the Chinese side has fully, timely and effectively fulfilled the obligations prescribed by the International Health Regulations through prompt and extensive actions rarely seen anywhere in the world.

Addressing the global COVID-19 pandemic is a serious scientific issue that bears on the health and wellbeing of all humanity.

Numerous studies have shown that SARS-CoV-2 originated outside China. Research and analysis conducted by the U.S.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) and the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) indicate that prior to the outbreak in Wuhan, multiple regions in the U.S. recorded positive SARS-CoV-2 test results and other evidence of the virus. A thorough and in-depth investigation into the origins of the virus should be conducted in the U.S.

However, instead of addressing its own inadequate pandemic response, the U.S. government has deliberately suppressed and concealed its findings and evidence, making China the primary scapegoat for its own mismanaged COVID-19 response. This selective blindness and politicization of a scientific issue have seriously impeded efforts to trace the virus origins and undermined the global public health system.

Infectious diseases are the common enemy of humanity. The international community must jointly safeguard the right course of science-based origins tracing. To prevent new infectious diseases in the future, the U.S., as a major country, cannot continue to turn a deaf ear to the numerous questions over its conduct. It must promptly respond to the legitimate concerns of the international community, proactively share with the WHO data on its early suspected cases, and provide a responsible account to the global public.

(Zhong Sheng is a pen name often used by People’s Daily to express its views on foreign policy and international affairs.)

By Li Rui, People’s Daily

At a fully automated container terminal of Qingdao Port operated by Shandong Port Group in Qingdao, east China’s Shandong province, the average operational efficiency of a single quay crane has once again brokenthe world record, reaching 60.9 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) per hour.

This marks the twelfth time that Qingdao Port’s “Liangang Innovation Team” has set a new world record in automated container terminal operations.

While China accounted for seven of the world’s top ten container ports in 2013, there was a notable shortcoming — not a single automated terminal among them.

To address this, Qingdao Port launched its automated terminal project the same year. Zhang Liangang, who had led multiple scientific and technological projects, took the lead in forming the “Liangang Innovation Team,” shouldering the responsibility of building China’s first automated container terminal.

Zhang recalled their early struggles: foreign terminal operators barred them from even gettingoff cars to take a single photograph, which makes studying abroad meaningless. As for purchasing the technology, the prices demanded were sky-high.

He was determined that core technologies could neither be bought nor begged for, self-reliance was the only path.

When the project began, Zhang was still recovering from lung cancer surgery. “Even giving it everything we have might not guarantee success. But half-hearted effortsinevitably guarantee failure,” he said. Under his leadership, the team worked around the clock, pushing themselves to the limit.

On May 11, 2017, the Qingdao Port automated container terminal officially commenced operations. As thousands of containers started moving at a command, everyone’s heartbeat quickened.

Data flashed across the screen: “Single crane efficiency: 26.1 TEUs per hour” – setting a new world record for the first commercial operation at an automated container terminal. At that moment, many team members were moved to tears.

During the construction of the second phase, the team set a higher goal: surpassing the achievements of the Phase I and establish global leadership. They implemented bold innovations such as hydrogen-powered equipment and 5G technology.

For the third phase, they launched the fully domestically developed Automated Terminal Operating System (A-TOS), achieving full autonomy in both core hardware and software technologies – from the bottom layer to application-level systems.

The AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) path planning algorithm, known as the “soul” of the automated terminal control system, was one of the team’s most significant breakthroughs.

To simulate real-world working conditions, the team conducted a 48-hourendurance trial in sub-zero temperatures, enduring countless failures and errors before successfully launching a brand-new, high-efficiency AGV path planning algorithm.

“Only by constantly learning new knowledge and mastering new technologies can we keep pace with the times,” said Zhang Changjiang, a team member born in the 1980s. He once dedicated three consecutive days and nights to resolving the AGV charging bottleneck, successfully reducing equipment weight by 12 tons and extending battery lifespan to over 12 years.

Transitioning from a follower to a pioneer, the “Liangang Innovation Team” has maintained unwavering momentum in technological advancement.

Zhang Liangang’s phone is filled with blueprints for future port projects. “We are currently planning multiple technological innovations,” he explained. “First, we aim to accelerate the implementation of new quality productive forces such as artificial intelligence. Second, we are focusing on original, fundamental innovations for the next-generation intelligent, efficient, green, and lightweight port handling equipment. Third, we are committed to building the next generation of smart and green ports.”

By He Yin, People’s Daily

On April 23, Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a speech via video link at the Leaders Meeting on Climate and the Just Transition. He called on countries to adhere to multilateralism, deepen international cooperation, accelerate the just transition, and strengthen results-oriented actions – chartingthe course for enhancing solidarity and cooperation in global endeavors for climate governance.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement and the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations(UN). In today’s world, global climate governance is facing multiple challenges. Some major country’s persistent pursuit of unilateralism and protectionism has seriously impacted global climate governance.

According to the World Meteorological Organization, 2024 was the warmest year on record, accompanied by devastating and extreme weather. The UN has repeatedly warned that global warming is accelerating, leaving no room for setbacks in climate governance, and meeting long-term temperature targets will require urgent and intensified efforts.

Multilateralism remains the most effective solution to the global challenge of climate change, with solidarity and cooperation the only viable path forward.

As the international situation becomes more volatile and turbulent, there is an even greater need for all countries to firmly safeguard the UN-centered international system and the international order underpinned by international law, and firmly safeguard international fairness and justice.

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement are the fundamental legal basis for international cooperation on addressing climate change. Although unilateralism and protectionism has seriously impacted international rules and the international order, history will, as always, move forward through twists and turns.

It is essential for all countries to uphold the spirit of solidarity and cooperation. They should rise above estrangement and conflict with openness and inclusiveness, boost technological innovation and industrial transformation through cooperation, and facilitate the free flow of quality green technologies and products, so that they can be accessible, affordable and beneficial for all countries, especially the developing ones.

China will continue to support other developing countries, particularly Small Island Developing States, least developed countries, and African nations, through South-South cooperation on climate change, contributing positive energy and creatingfavorable conditions for multilateral climate governance.

Effective climate action must be rooted in the realities of each country. Respect for different starting points, development stages, and national conditions and capacities is critical to ensuring a just transition – one that unfolds within the framework of sustainable development and poverty reduction.

Green transformation is not only an essential response to climate change, but a new engine for economic and social development. Such transformation must be people-centered and pursued in a way that advances the well-being of people and climate governance in tandem, and strike a balance between multiple goals including environmental protection, economic growth, job creation, and poverty alleviation.

All parties should earnestly honor the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities. Developed countries are obliged to extend assistance and support to developing countries, help drive the global shift toward green and low-carbon development, and contribute to the common and long-term well-being of people of all countries.

Harmony between man and nature is a defining feature of Chinese modernization, and China is a steadfast actor and major contributor in promoting global green development.

China is one of the initial parties to the UNFCCC and among the first signatories and ratifiers of the Paris Agreement. It is home to 70 percent of the photovoltaic components and 60 percent of wind power equipment worldwide, and contributes a quarter of the world’s newly-added area of afforestation.

The country has ramped upits green and low-carbon transition, leading the world in the speed and scale of “greening.” It has built the world’s largest and most complete new energy industrial chain, providing strong momentum forinternational cooperation on climate change and driving the implementation of the Paris Agreement.

China will announce its 2035 nationally determined contributions covering all economic sectors and all greenhouse gases before the UN Climate Change Conference in Belem, Brazil. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that this newly announced commitment to cutting emissions goals is “extremely important” for global climate action.

Climate change is a common challenge of all humanity, and addressing it demands a collective response.However the world may change, China will not slow down its climate actions, will not reduce its support for international cooperation, and will not cease its efforts to build a community with a shared future for mankind.

China is ready to work with all parties, keeping in mind the progress of humanity and the well-being of all people, to earnestly honor the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, do the utmost respectively and collectively, and build a clean, beautiful, and sustainable world together.

By Zhong Sheng, People’s Daily

Washington’s pursuit of unilateralism and protectionism – wielding tariffs as blunt instruments and provoking trade frictions – is taking a mounting toll on the global economy. In its latest World Economic Outlook(WEO), the International Monetary Fund (IMF) downgraded global growth forecasts for this year and next, citing U.S. tariff hikes as a key factor of the downturn.

Under the reference forecast that incorporates information as of April 4, global growth is projected to drop to 2.8 percent in 2025 and 3 percent in 2026 – down from 3.3 percent for both years in January’s WEO Update, according to the WEO.

Regarding the impact of U.S. tariffs, the report explicitly said that a series of new tariff measures by the U.S. and countermeasures by trading partners have been announced and implemented, ending up in near-universal U.S. tariffs on April 2 and bringing effective tariff rates to levels not seen in a century. Noting that the tariffs aloneare a “major negative shock,”the “unpredictability” with which these measures have unfolded negatively impacts economic activity and the outlook, the report said.

By trampling on multilateral trade rules and attempting to reshape the global economic order through coercive means, the U.S. is essentially forcing the rest of the world to pay the price for its own interest.

“The world economic order is breaking down,”one analyst warned, as U.S. tariff policies reverberate far beyond its borders. The reckless escalation is like hurling a boulder into the heart of the global economy, sending disruptive waves through supply chains, markets, and livelihoods around the world.

Beyond the immediate drag on global growth, these tariff shocks threaten deeper, more enduring structural damage -stifling global innovation, increasing trade barriers to green technologies, and slowing momentum toward sustainable development.

By undermining the multilateral trading system in favor of unilateral and protectionist moves, the U.S. is dismantling the institutional framework that has enabled decades of shared growth. Developing countries and emerging markets are bearing the brunt of this fallout.

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization has warned that the imposition of tariffs presents significant challenges to global economic development and industrial growth, particularly for developing and least developed countries since tariffs undermine their potential to fully participate in global trade and hamper their efforts to diversify and modernize their industrial sectors.

The economic coercion of the U.S. is stripping Global South nations of their legitimate right to development, exposing the hypocrisy behind its so-called “fair trade.”

American economic history has already shown the consequences of protectionism. Scott Reynolds Nelson, a history professor at the University of Georgia, noted that since the beginning of the 19th century, the U.S. has suffered six economic depressions. All but one were either directly caused or significantly worsened by tariffs and trade embargoes. The infamous Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act, which raised tariffs on more than 20,000 imported goods to record levels, exacerbated the U.S. economic depression and contributed largely to the Great Depression of the 1930s.

More recently, the trade war unilaterally and wantonly initiated by the U.S. proved to be an expensive policy experiment. The lessons of history are clear: Washington must avoid repeating past mistakes.

Over 970 people, including dozens of the world’s top economists have recently signed an “Anti-Tariff Declaration” launched by American economists and policy experts. The declaration criticizes the tariff policy adopted by the U.S. as “misguided” while warning of a potential “self-inflicted recession.”

The concerns voiced by economists are quickly becoming a reality. In the U.S., egg prices have skyrocketed to unprecedented levels, babyproducts are in short supply, small business owners are lamenting their inability to survive, and farmers are complaining that they are losing not just markets but also their future.

The New York Times noted that tariff uncertainty paralyzes American businesses. The IMF’sWEO said that growth in the U.S. is expected to slow to 1.8 percent, 0.9 percentage points lower relative to the projection in January’s forecast due to greater policy uncertainty, trade tensions, and softer demand momentum – marking the steepest downgrade among advanced economies.

History offers a clear warning: beggar-thy-neighbor economic bullying will inevitably backfire, and the only sustainable path for countries to move forward is openness and cooperation.The U.S. must step back from the brink and work with all parties to build an open world economy, so as to inject stability and positive energy into the world.

(Zhong Sheng is a pen name often used by People’s Daily to express its views on foreign policy and international affairs.)

By Liu Shi’an, Tian Hong, Ji Juesu, People’s Daily

On March 18, the Shanghai East Railway Station began its main construction, marking a significant milestone in developing the one-stop integrated transportation hub, the Shanghai Eastern Hub. Currently under development, the Shanghai eastern hub international business cooperation zone is set to become one of the world’s most open and globally connected regions.

Just days later, on March 27, the provisions to promote the development of free trade accounts at Shanghai’s Pudong New Area were adopted, signaling another step forward in improving the city’s financial services. Then, Auto Shanghai 2025 kicked off on April 23, attracting nearly 1,000 noted enterprises from 26 countries and regions. With more than 100 new models debuting, the event underscored the continued global confidence in China’s vast market and open development.

In recent years, Shanghai has progressively advanced a series of high-level reforms aimed at increasing openness and encouraging foreign investment. The Pudong New Area, in particular, has become a testing ground for innovative policy experiments that are later replicated nationwide.

A striking example of this transformation can be seen in the retail sector. Previously, it took over 20 days to open a new store. Today, the process has been streamlined significantly.”We can now launch right after renovations are complete, saving almost a month’s rent,” said an executive of a coffee chainin Pudong. The changes allowed the company to open 130 new outlets in just a year.

The overhaul of industry access approval procedures in Pudong has been particularly notable. In the past, a convenience store had to secure five separate licenses – covering food safety, tobacco retail, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices – a process that took around 95 working days.

Now, under the new “single license for entry” and “market access with commitment” systems, creditworthy businesses can obtain licenses on the spot by submitting necessary documents and signing a written commitment. With just one comprehensive license, businesses now face significantly reduced processing times, fewer documentation requirements, and a streamlined application process, making it far easier to enter the market.

The reform momentum extends beyond retail to high-tech industries as well. A groundbreaking example of this is the recent application of CAR-T cell therapy, a cutting-edge cancer treatment, in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, facilitated by a new regulatory model for the transport of biomedical products.

CAR-T cell therapy demands precise temperature control and timely transport for both blood samples and the therapy product itself. The logistic chain for CAR-T cell therapyinvolves 15 different authorities, including health and drug regulatory agencies, ensuring stringent oversight at every stage.

In March 2022, Shanghai became the first in China to pilot a joint regulatory mechanism for biomedical products. This innovative system incorporates risk assessment, pre-approval and full-process traceability, creating a more efficient framework for the transport and use of specialized medical treatments.

Fosun Kairos,one of the pioneering enterprises in the program, received a request for CAR-T therapy from a Hong Kong patient earlier this year. Thanks to the streamlined procedures, Shanghai Customs completed the entire approval process in just two working days. The patient’s apheresis sample was then transported from Hong Kong to Shanghai, with the entire process – from landing to customs clearance – taking only four hours.

Today, nearly a third of China’s clinical R&D pipelines in the cell and gene therapy sector are based in Pudong, and three of the nine CAR-T therapies approved globally are developed there.

“This rapid clearance has not only set a model for future medical exports but opened up new possibilities for international medical services,” said an official with the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality.

As Shanghai deepens its reform and opening up efforts, the need for strong legal protections has become increasingly critical. To this end, Shanghai has enacted 23 local regulations for Pudong, covering areas such as market entity registration and innovation-driven development. Additionally, the city has introduced 34 administrative measures on streamlining business registration and enhancing mechanisms for resolving foreign-related commercial disputes. Together, these initiatives are steadily fostering a rules-based, predictable, and business-friendly environment both in Pudong and across Shanghai.

By Xie Weiqun, Shen Wenmin, People’s Daily

Standing 1.85 meters tall with a strong, upright posture and 43 rotational joints, the humanoid robot Qinglong can walk briskly, avoid obstacles with agility, navigate slopes steadily, and resist impact interference.

This full-size general-purpose humanoid robot, developed at the National and Local Co-Built Humanoid Robotics Innovation Center in Zhangjiang, Shanghai, has drawn widespread attention.

So far, Shanghai has successfully unveiledmultiple prototype models of general-purpose humanoid robots.

In recent years, Shanghai has intensified efforts to pool critical AI resources and build itself into a key hub for artificial intelligence innovation.

In October 2022, the city implemented municipal regulations to accelerate the development of the artificial intelligence industry. It was soon followed by a series of coordinatedpolicy measures focused on unified computing power scheduling, next-generation infrastructure development, and large model innovation. Key initiatives include a model innovation support plan, an intelligent computing acceleration plan, and a demonstration application promotion plan.

The city is also working to build a large model testing and collaborative innovation center, a data corpus alliance, an intelligent computing scheduling platform, a software-hardware compatibility evaluation center, and an open-source community and collaboration platform for large models.

Shanghai has established a citywide coordination framework enabling various districts to leverage their respective strengths. Pudong New Area is advancing hardware breakthroughs in smart computing chips and humanoid robots. Xuhui district is fostering an innovation environment for large-model algorithm developers.

A city-level intelligent computing cluster has been built, with key deployments in Songjiang and Lingang, providing robust support for training large models.

Shanghai has now formed a “4+X” cluster layout comprising Zhangjiang Artificial Intelligence Island in Pudong, West Bund Artificial Intelligence Tower in Xuhui, Dishui Lake Artificial Intelligence Innovation Hub in Lingang, and the Maqiao Artificial Intelligence Innovation Pilot Zone in Minhang.

As a specialized incubator and accelerator for generative artificial intelligence, the Shanghai Foundation Model Innovation Center officially opened in September 2023. The West Bund area,the area where the hub locates, has since attracted 255 foundation model enterprises, 34 registered foundation models, and more than 100 investment institutions. A saying has become popular there: “Going up or down a floor means moving up or down the supply chain.”

One of the resident companies, Infinigence AI, specializes in developing artificial intelligence infrastructure. It has enabled domestic large-model algorithms to operate efficiently across a variety of Chinese-made chips, strengthening the resilience and competitiveness of the industrial and supply chains of China’s computing power industry.

“Our goal is to build a positive synergisticcycle between domestically developed hardware and algorithms,” said Xia Lixue, co-founder and CEO of the company.

With a forward-looking and innovation-driven approach, Shanghai is accelerating the creation of an open, secure, and dynamic artificial intelligence ecosystem. It is building systems for software-hardware compatibility and testing, supporting the Shanghai Artificial Intelligence Laboratory in developing integrated compatibility solutions.

Additionally, the city has established a manufacturing innovation center for humanoid robots, speeding up integration along the industrial chain and creating a dedicated industrial base. These efforts aim to lower the cost of algorithm innovation and promote standardization of key components.

Meanwhile, a multi-level talent system is being developed alongside a strategic advisory committee for artificial intelligence to ensure strong intellectual and human capital support for the industry.

In 2024, Shanghai’s artificial intelligence industry achieved 400 billion yuan ($55.02 billion) in total output, a year-on-year increase of over 7 percent. In the first quarter of 2025, the city’s artificial intelligence output grew by 13.2 percent, demonstrating strong and sustained momentum.

By Liu Shi’an, Tian Hong, Ji Juesu, People’s Daily

On March 18, the Shanghai East Railway Station began its main construction, marking a significant milestone in developing the one-stop integrated transportation hub, the Shanghai Eastern Hub. Currently under development, the Shanghai eastern hub international business cooperation zone is set to become one of the world’s most open and globally connected regions.

Just days later, on March 27, the provisions to promote the development of free trade accounts at Shanghai’s Pudong New Area were adopted, signaling another step forward in improving the city’s financial services. Then, Auto Shanghai 2025 kicked off on April 23, attracting nearly 1,000 noted enterprises from 26 countries and regions. With more than 100 new models debuting, the event underscored the continued global confidence in China’s vast market and open development.

In recent years, Shanghai has progressively advanced a series of high-level reforms aimed at increasing openness and encouraging foreign investment. The Pudong New Area, in particular, has become a testing ground for innovative policy experiments that are later replicated nationwide.

A striking example of this transformation can be seen in the retail sector. Previously, it took over 20 days to open a new store. Today, the process has been streamlined significantly.”We can now launch right after renovations are complete, saving almost a month’s rent,” said an executive of a coffee chainin Pudong. The changes allowed the company to open 130 new outlets in just a year.

The overhaul of industry access approval procedures in Pudong has been particularly notable. In the past, a convenience store had to secure five separate licenses – covering food safety, tobacco retail, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices – a process that took around 95 working days.

Now, under the new “single license for entry” and “market access with commitment” systems, creditworthy businesses can obtain licenses on the spot by submitting necessary documents and signing a written commitment. With just one comprehensive license, businesses now face significantly reduced processing times, fewer documentation requirements, and a streamlined application process, making it far easier to enter the market.

The reform momentum extends beyond retail to high-tech industries as well. A groundbreaking example of this is the recent application of CAR-T cell therapy, a cutting-edge cancer treatment, in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, facilitated by a new regulatory model for the transport of biomedical products.

CAR-T cell therapy demands precise temperature control and timely transport for both blood samples and the therapy product itself. The logistic chain for CAR-T cell therapyinvolves 15 different authorities, including health and drug regulatory agencies, ensuring stringent oversight at every stage.

In March 2022, Shanghai became the first in China to pilot a joint regulatory mechanism for biomedical products. This innovative system incorporates risk assessment, pre-approval and full-process traceability, creating a more efficient framework for the transport and use of specialized medical treatments.

Fosun Kairos,one of the pioneering enterprises in the program, received a request for CAR-T therapy from a Hong Kong patient earlier this year. Thanks to the streamlined procedures, Shanghai Customs completed the entire approval process in just two working days. The patient’s apheresis sample was then transported from Hong Kong to Shanghai, with the entire process – from landing to customs clearance – taking only four hours.

Today, nearly a third of China’s clinical R&D pipelines in the cell and gene therapy sector are based in Pudong, and three of the nine CAR-T therapies approved globally are developed there.

“This rapid clearance has not only set a model for future medical exports but opened up new possibilities for international medical services,” said an official with the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality.

As Shanghai deepens its reform and opening up efforts, the need for strong legal protections has become increasingly critical. To this end, Shanghai has enacted 23 local regulations for Pudong, covering areas such as market entity registration and innovation-driven development. Additionally, the city has introduced 34 administrative measures on streamlining business registration and enhancing mechanisms for resolving foreign-related commercial disputes. Together, these initiatives are steadily fostering a rules-based, predictable, and business-friendly environment both in Pudong and across Shanghai.

By Xie Weiqun, Shen Wenmin, People’s Daily

Standing 1.85 meters tall with a strong, upright posture and 43 rotational joints, the humanoid robot Qinglong can walk briskly, avoid obstacles with agility, navigate slopes steadily, and resist impact interference.

This full-size general-purpose humanoid robot, developed at the National and Local Co-Built Humanoid Robotics Innovation Center in Zhangjiang, Shanghai, has drawn widespread attention.

So far, Shanghai has successfully unveiledmultiple prototype models of general-purpose humanoid robots.

In recent years, Shanghai has intensified efforts to pool critical AI resources and build itself into a key hub for artificial intelligence innovation.

In October 2022, the city implemented municipal regulations to accelerate the development of the artificial intelligence industry. It was soon followed by a series of coordinatedpolicy measures focused on unified computing power scheduling, next-generation infrastructure development, and large model innovation. Key initiatives include a model innovation support plan, an intelligent computing acceleration plan, and a demonstration application promotion plan.

The city is also working to build a large model testing and collaborative innovation center, a data corpus alliance, an intelligent computing scheduling platform, a software-hardware compatibility evaluation center, and an open-source community and collaboration platform for large models.

Shanghai has established a citywide coordination framework enabling various districts to leverage their respective strengths. Pudong New Area is advancing hardware breakthroughs in smart computing chips and humanoid robots. Xuhui district is fostering an innovation environment for large-model algorithm developers.

A city-level intelligent computing cluster has been built, with key deployments in Songjiang and Lingang, providing robust support for training large models.

Shanghai has now formed a “4+X” cluster layout comprising Zhangjiang Artificial Intelligence Island in Pudong, West Bund Artificial Intelligence Tower in Xuhui, Dishui Lake Artificial Intelligence Innovation Hub in Lingang, and the Maqiao Artificial Intelligence Innovation Pilot Zone in Minhang.

As a specialized incubator and accelerator for generative artificial intelligence, the Shanghai Foundation Model Innovation Center officially opened in September 2023. The West Bund area,the area where the hub locates, has since attracted 255 foundation model enterprises, 34 registered foundation models, and more than 100 investment institutions. A saying has become popular there: “Going up or down a floor means moving up or down the supply chain.”

One of the resident companies, Infinigence AI, specializes in developing artificial intelligence infrastructure. It has enabled domestic large-model algorithms to operate efficiently across a variety of Chinese-made chips, strengthening the resilience and competitiveness of the industrial and supply chains of China’s computing power industry.

“Our goal is to build a positive synergisticcycle between domestically developed hardware and algorithms,” said Xia Lixue, co-founder and CEO of the company.

With a forward-looking and innovation-driven approach, Shanghai is accelerating the creation of an open, secure, and dynamic artificial intelligence ecosystem. It is building systems for software-hardware compatibility and testing, supporting the Shanghai Artificial Intelligence Laboratory in developing integrated compatibility solutions.

Additionally, the city has established a manufacturing innovation center for humanoid robots, speeding up integration along the industrial chain and creating a dedicated industrial base. These efforts aim to lower the cost of algorithm innovation and promote standardization of key components.

Meanwhile, a multi-level talent system is being developed alongside a strategic advisory committee for artificial intelligence to ensure strong intellectual and human capital support for the industry.

In 2024, Shanghai’s artificial intelligence industry achieved 400 billion yuan ($55.02 billion) in total output, a year-on-year increase of over 7 percent. In the first quarter of 2025, the city’s artificial intelligence output grew by 13.2 percent, demonstrating strong and sustained momentum.