Shanghai's Pudong eases registration process to attract investment

A staff member serves a customer at an enterprise service center in Pudong New Area, Shanghai, Aug 28, 2018. [Photo by Gao Erqiang/chinadaily.com.cn]

Food sales, catering services and online order are separate categories according to traditional business model, but Hema Fresh, Alibaba's new retail-based supermarket chain, launched its first store combining the three in Pudong, Shanghai.

Hema Fresh is a typical case of local government's efforts in optimizing business environment, said Wu Ming, an official with market administrative authority in Pudong New Area, adding the authorities followed the whole process of Hema's establishment, from a proposed concept, paperwork preparation to the store's layout.

Pudong is working on institutional reform to attract investment and encourage innovation. In January, the State Council, the country's cabinet, decided to further expand pilot areas for decoupling business license and administrative permit in Pudong, making business registration much easier.

An entrepreneur surnamed Yang, who wants to set up a logistics company, told China Daily Website that he believes the new policies will provide convenience to an enterprise, though he still met difficulties in opening a company after the reform.

In Zhangjiang Pharma Valley, which has clustered biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, Yu Lei, CEO of Shanghai Unicar-Therapy Bio-medicine Technology Co Ltd, told China Daily Website compared with money-only support, Zhangjiang offered professional help ranging from devices, assistive technologies, capital and cooperation.

According to Wu Jiaxiang, board chairman of Zhangjiang Transnational Enterprises Joint Incubation Platform, his platform usually seeks marketing talent to join the start-ups at the first beginning, which serves as a way to lower barriers in commercial application of technologies.