What Makes Shanghai’s Business Environment the Best in China 上海营商环境为何中国最佳

丹尼尔·海厄特　卜杭宾

A joint report released by four prominent Chinese think tanks has shed new light on1 Shanghais commercial potential. Ranking it the best business city in China， the WANB Institute， China Strategic Culture Promotion Association， China Economic Media Association， and YICAI Research Institute analyzed a series of interdependent factors that contribute to Shanghais urban business environment index.

The result was not a complete surprise since Shanghai has been leading Chinas growth for quite some time. But the study does offer an opportunity for China watchers to understand what makes the citys economy so remarkable.

One of the major reasons for Shanghais success is the infrastructure index that turned out to be the highest in all of China. The city has established itself as the de facto2 business capital by modernizing its infrastructure to cater to businesses from across the globe heading to China to benefit from the worlds second-largest economy. A monumental US$21 billion investment last year was spent on mega projects such as the construction of the Yangshan deepwater port， the renovation of the Hongqiao International Airport and the expansion of the metro network.

Shanghai is the worlds fifth largest financial hub and is working its way up to becoming the global leader. This January， an action plan3 was approved by the State Council to make the city a cutting edge financial center by 2020 with yuan-dominated products and an improved resource allocation capability.

Some recent developments have further strengthened the openness of Shanghais economy. First is the internationalization of the Shanghai Gold Exchange， which is already highly regarded by investors and whose regulation and transparency has often garnered4 praise from bodies like the World Gold Council.

The other is the launch of the crude oil5 futures6 index at the Shanghai International Energy Exchange. It is the first such index in Chinese mainland and is open to overseas investors， which has been well received by traders. Furthermore， the rapid rise in the volume of contracts has made China one of the most active markets in this area.

While becoming more open and transparent， the citys financial system is also focusing on innovative technologies to fuel its success. Strategic and policy support from the municipal government to innovation-driven sectors is gradually remodeling Shanghai into an entrepreneurial metropolis.

The backbone of this innovative drive is Artificial Intelligence （AI）. With zones like AIsland， which is dedicated to AI research， local and international companies are changing the way business is done. Especially encouraging is their will to utilize massive amounts of data to serve customers better and， at the same time， expand their businesses.

In addition to cultivating domestic expertise， Shanghai frequently attracts talent from abroad. Several programs have been launched to recruit fresh foreign graduates with innovative entrepreneurial plans. These graduates generate a stream of fresh ideas while young expats7 introduce modern practices and push local companies to keep pace with global conventions.

Shanghai is also simplifying the process of applying for permanent residencies and reducing the duration of the approval of applications. The city boasts a string of high-tech industries where foreign entrepreneurs are welcomed and issued with talent visas. Out of the 100，000 work visas issued in Shanghai since 2016， talent visas accounted for over 18%， which constituted almost a quarter of the nations total.

There are also scores of incubators tackling issues such as the processing of paperwork and the imparting8 of knowledge on how to succeed as a startup. Many foreigners who received business licenses within two weeks of their application consider the process much more efficient than that in Europe.

But the city does not thrive only on government incentives. Its rich cultural offerings stimulate ideas and activities. The unique haipai culture—where East meets West—is an immersive experience for both visitors and residents. This unique culture has evolved through the legacy of migrants and settlers from multiple nationalities and showcases a diverse and colorful Shanghai， which creates new business opportunities in the city every day.

Shanghais nightlife is also growing due to a steady rise in the spending power of wealthy Chinese as well as a thriving flow of tourists. The service sector has benefited most from the nightlife scene， benefiting the working class and ultimately the city.

Shanghai， by any account， is a crucial financial artery9 of China. Its constantly evolving commercial landscape allows it to retain its lead and set standards for the rest of the country. The market turnover10， fiscal11 policies and cultural contributions are all making its environment far friendlier for new ventures than that of many western cities.

中國四大著名智库发布的一则联合报告阐明了上海的商业潜力。万博新经济研究所、中国战略文化促进会、中国经济传媒协会和第一财经研究院分析了一系列促进上海城市营商环境指数的相关因素，将上海列为中国最佳的商业城市。

由于上海长期以来一直引领中国的发展，这项结果并非完全出人意料。但这项研究确实为中国观察者提供了一个机会，让他们理解了是什么使这座城市的经济如此非凡。

上海成功的一大主要原因是基础建设指数，这一指数是全中国最高的。全世界的企业前往中国，希冀从这个全球第二大经济体中获益，而这座城市为了吸引这些企业，将基础设施现代化，实际上已经将自身建设为中国的商业之都。去年，210亿美元的巨额投资用于大型项目，例如建设洋山深水港、整修虹桥国际机场、扩建地铁网络。

上海是世界第五大金融中心，正努力引領全球。2019年1月，国务院通过了一项行动计划，即于2020年将这座城市打造为以人民币产品为主导、具有较强资源配置能力的高端金融中心。

一些近期发展进一步强化了上海经济的开放力度。首先是上海黄金交易所的国际化，这一交易所备受投资商好评，其监管和透明度也常获世界黄金协会等机构的赞誉。

另一大发展是在上海国际能源交易中心发布原油期货指数。这是中国内地首个此类指数，面向海外投资商，交易者反映良好。此外，期货合约数量的激增已使中国在该领域成为了最活跃的市场之一。

这座城市的金融体系不仅变得越来越开放透明，而且聚焦创新科技以加速成功。从市政府到创新驱动领域的战略和政策支持，正逐渐将上海重塑为一个企业大都会。

这一创新驱动的核心是人工智能（AI）。本地和国际公司依托张江人工智能岛等致力于AI研究的区域，正在改变商业模式。更加振奋人心的是，这些公司坚持利用海量数据，在更好服务顾客的同时扩展企业。

除了培养国内技术，上海还不断吸引国外人才。数个项目已经启动来招收具有创新企业计划的国外应届毕业生。这些毕业生创想出源源不断的新鲜理念，同时年轻外籍人士引入现代操作，推动本地公司与国际惯例同步。

上海也在简化永久居留申请流程，缩短申请审批周期。这座城市坐拥一系列高科技产业，欢迎外国企业家并向其颁发人才签证。自2016年以来，上海颁发的10万工作签证中，人才签证占18%以上，几乎占了全国总数的1/4。

许多孵化基地还可处理文书工作以及向新兴公司讲授创业知识。许多申请后两周内就获得商业许可证的外国人，认为这种程序比欧洲更加高效。

但这座城市的繁荣并不只是依靠政府鼓励。上海丰富的文化资源催生出各种观念和活动。独特的海派文化融汇中西，对游客和居住者而言都是一种引人入胜的体验。这种独特的文化衍生于不同国籍的移居者和定居者所留下的深远影响，呈现了一个多元多彩的上海，每天都在这座城市里创造全新的商机。

由于中国富人消费力的稳固上升以及游客数量的蓬勃增长，上海的夜生活也在发展。夜生活发展使服务业获益最多，造福了工薪阶层，最终造福了这座城市。

就各方面而言，上海都是中国重要的金融动脉。上海不断演变的商业面貌使其保持领先地位，为中国其他城市树立了标准。对新兴企业来说，上海的市场营业额、财政政策和文化贡献都使其环境远比许多西方城市要友好得多。

（译者为“《英语世界》杯”翻译大赛获奖者）

Quotes from Animated Movies

Lifes a little bit messy. We all make mistakes.    —Zootopia

Dont hide， dont be afraid of the dark， follow the lights， then you can find tomorrow！                                 —The Croods

Love is putting someone elses needs before yours.

—Frozen

When youre feeling down， look up. The sky is big enough to hold all of your sadness.                                          —Tangled

The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of them all.                                                     —Mulan

The past can hurt. But the way I see it， you can either run from it or learn from it.                                     —The Lion King

Its no use going back to yesterday. Because I was a different person then.                                             —Alice in Wonderland

Life is not a spectator sport. If watching is all， youre gonna do. Then youre gonna watch your life go by without ya.

—The Hunchback of Notre Dame

I never look back， darling！ It distracts from the now.

—The Incredibles