The administration of Shanghai's suburban area of Qingpu plans to build an open and innovative hub in the Yangtze River Delta region within the next five years, which will fully integrate its characteristic industries and unique water-town landscape.

Qingpu is among the five suburbs announced by the Shanghai government earlier this year in its latest effort to seek new growth engines for the future.

Located in the most western part of Shanghai, Qingpu is well known for its favorable ecological environment as well as embodying the atmosphere of ancient Jiangnan－the area south of the Yangtze River.

Bordering Zhejiang province to the south and Jiangsu province to the west, Qingpu plays an important role in integrating the development of the Yangtze River Delta area. Its proximity to Hongqiao International Hub reinforces Qingpu's role as a being a "gateway to Shanghai".

The planning of Qingpu new town will fully develop these core advantages within the next five years, according to its 14th Five-Year Plan.

By 2025, Qingpu new town will become a hub of the delta city cluster and a center of the Yangtze River Delta Ecology and Greenery Integration Demonstration Zone, local officials said.

With a planned area of 91 square kilometers, Qingpu new town is expected to have 550,000 permanent residents by 2025, according to the plan.

To achieve such goals, the administration of Qingpu new town has planned 10 major projects for the next five years, with a total investment of 500 billion yuan. These projects cover a wide range of areas including public services, city infrastructure and facilities, and the development of industries and the ecological environment.

The digital economy is being placed at the forefront of the region's future growth. It will be used to promote the integration of the advanced manufacturing and information industries, and to strengthen efforts in high-end service industries, such as modern logistics, regional headquarters, exhibition and trade.

According to the plan, the digital economy will drive the development of new businesses and business models.

The development of scenebased industries such as intelligent factories, intelligent logistics, cloud exhibitions, cross-border e-commerce and online medical treatment will also be improved, according to the plan.

A host of digital and information industry platforms and clusters have gathered in the region, such as the Beidou West Hongqiao Base, Shixi Software Information Park and Huawei Research and Development Center.

In the next five years, the new town will build five industry clusters and attract more innovators, such as professional research institutes and the R&D centers of leading industry players.

A hydrogen energy industrial park, an artificial intelligence industrial park, a biomedical industrial park, a comprehensive bonded zone and an electronic information industrial park will all be built by 2025.

Local officials said they will continue to optimize related policies so as to improve the new town's regional competitiveness and global appeal for business.

Qingpu's administration will also take measures to attract more talent. A five-year talent development plan was released in early October, which is expected to support the new town's high-quality development.

The new town will also strengthen cultural development to bring more fun to residents.

An art center, with an investment of 1.8 billion yuan, will be constructed in Qingpu during the 14th Five-Year Plan. The art center will include two theaters with a total of 1,700 seats, an 800-seat musical hall and a 300-seat lecture hall.