Located in the Putuo district of East China's Shanghai, these days Taopu Smart City is continuing to evolve dynamically – after having undergone several transformations over the past few decades.

In the 1990s, it was developed as an industrial park and this was followed by a second transformation, to improve its quality and create an urban industrial park.

In 2012, the region began its third transformation, with the goal of becoming a demonstration area for old industrial bases.

Once a hub for logistics and warehousing companies, Taopu Smart City is now involved in a new incarnation and is fast becoming a green and tech innovation centre.

A significant green initiative there is Taopu Central Park, which covers 100 hectares and is designed to provide an urban green space where people can connect with nature.

The park also includes a raft of sports facilities, such as the Putuo Ice Sports Center, making it a project that brings together sports, culture and horticulture.

Taopu Smart City is said to focus on the growth of life sciences, research and development, as well as the smart technology industries.

Leading pharma groups – like Shanghai Pharmaceuticals Holding Co Ltd, HUTCHMED (China) Ltd and Merck Corporation – have already established a presence in the area.

What's more, partnerships such as the China-Israel (Shanghai) Innovation Park, have a dynamic role to play. They've attracted many innovative enterprises, further boosting the biomedicines and tech innovation sectors.

An overhead view of the China-Israel (Shanghai) Innovation Park in Taopu Smart City. [Photo/eastday.com]

To top it off, Taopu Smart City has also made strides in attracting and keeping talent. Residents there can access top-quality schools, excellent medical services and convenient transportation, with two existing subway lines, Line 11 and Line 15 – and plans for Line 26 and Line 20 in the near future.