Putuo thinks large and international

By Zou Qi and Li Xinran  |   2008-6-17  |     ONLINE EDITION

THE city's northwestern Putuo District plans to introduce more company headquarters in the near future. The district government is expected to hold a forum on the economy of headquarters on July 12.

Nearly 300 entrepreneurs from about 200 domestic or foreign-funded companies, including Fosun president Guo Guangchang, Alibaba Group founder Jack Ma, Vanke chairman Wang Shi and William Ding Lei from NetEase, may attend the forum.

Putuo has become home for the Fosun Group, MGM (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) China and METRO Group China, among others.

The district along with the city's Suzhou Creek has five key areas allocated to develop modern commerce and industry including Zhenru Town, the Changfeng Ecological Business Zone and an urban industrial zone in Taopu.

The environmentally friendly commercial center in the Zhenru area is now under construction with the aim of creating a second downtown center for the city.

According to the plans, the commercial zone covering 6.21 square kilometers will be connected by an underground complex, which will include commercial outlets, restaurants and parking lots.

A total of 1.2 million square meters will be developed for the underground complex, which will link shops, entertainment facilities and subway stations as a whole, according to the development plan.

The "green" park will be the core of the commercial center and five green landscape areas will be built along the major roads in the Zhenru area.

According to the Putuo District government, the Zhenru center will be completed within three Five-Year Plans (2007-2022).

The district government has also launched entertainment and tourism promotions with Suzhou Creek highly suitable to develop a local yachting industry and MGM planning to have its China headquarters htere.

Film stars might be seen taking yachts along the scenic parts of Suzhou Creek and then enter the MGM World along the 2010 Shanghai Film Festival red carpet, the Putuo District government said today.

MGM World, which is an entertainment complex featuring cinemas, high-tech amusement games, restaurants and shops, will be completed in the Changfeng commercial center by 2010.

More than 300 listed companies have set up their headquarters in Shanghai and the city is also home for the district headquarters of 83 multinational enterprises and 165 international investment banks as well as research and development centers for 244 overseas corporations.