In a groundbreaking move, the Standing Committee of the Shanghai Municipal People's Congress enacted four local regulations for Pudong New Area in 2024, focusing on areas such as bonded maintenance services, commercial mediation, the architect liability system, and block chain-empowered electronic certificate applications.

These legislative moves, all marked by their pioneering nature, mark a significant step forward for local legislative practices in Shanghai.

Introduced as a novel form of legislation in Shanghai, the Pudong New Area-related regulations have been a bold experiment in legislative innovation since 2021, authorized by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the nation's top legislature. These regulations provide legal support for bold pilot moves in Pudong.

Unlike general local regulations in Shanghai, the Pudong regulations have the authority to make flexible provisions regarding laws, administrative regulations, and departmental rules, with their implementation limited to Pudong alone.

As a "legislative laboratory", Shanghai is blazing a trail for legislation and leading reform and innovation.

On Dec 31, 2024, the 18th session of the 16th Shanghai Municipal People's Congress approved the regulations on promoting the use of blockchain for electronic certificate applications in Pudong, the first local regulation in the country to specifically regulate blockchain-empowered electronic certificate applications while also supporting and safeguarding the rights and interests represented by electronic certificate.

On Nov 28, 2024, the 17th session of the 16th Shanghai Municipal People's Congress passed the regulations on promoting bonded maintenance services, regulations on promoting commercial mediation, and regulations on advancing the implementation of the architect liability system, all of which are being applied in Pudong.