Hongkou District

Hongkou district, spanning 23.48 square kilometers in northeast downtown Shanghai, serves as a pivotal functional zone within the city's central business district and a key development area along the Huangpu River.

Scenery of the North Bund in Shanghai's Hongkou district. [Photo/IC]

Under the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25), Hongkou is pursuing a strategic vision centered on building the Shanghai North Bund and Pujiang Golden Triangle. Leveraging the North Bund as a growth engine, innovation as a foundation, and opening-up as a driver, the district aims to establish itself as an internationally aligned model of modern urban development.

The district's industrial structure follows a "2+4+X" framework:

Two leading sectors: financial services and shipping services

Four major sectors: commerce and trade, professional services, information services, and cultural creativity

X specialized sectors: Emerging industries tailored to global trends.

Hongkou is organized into three functional zones:

South Zone (North Bund Shipping and Finance Center) focuses on maritime and financial services.

Middle Zone (Business, Travel, Culture, and Sports Integration Area) promotes cross-sector collaboration.

North Zone (Northern Middle Ring Tech Innovation Belt) drives technological advancement.

To support growth, the district offers policy incentives in areas including headquarters development, talent recruitment, scientific and technological innovation, financial services, shipping, and commerce.