At the "2025 Shanghai Business Situation Briefing" held on February 19, it was introduced that currently, the construction work of the Shanghai Eastern Hub International Business Cooperation Zone is progressing in an orderly manner. According to the plan, the "closed - acceptance of the pilot startup area" and the "implementation and operation of basic functions" should be achieved by the end of this year.
The Shanghai Eastern Hub International Business Cooperation Zone is located adjacent to Shanghai Pudong International Airport and the under - construction Shanghai East Station. With a planned area of 0.88 square kilometers, it is a brand - new special - type area approved for construction by the State Council in February 2024, and is positioned as "one of the regions with the highest degree of international openness".
It is reported that after the closed operation of the pilot startup area, foreign nationals arriving at the zone from Pudong International Airport by international or regional flights do not need a Chinese visa. With a valid invitation filed by the comprehensive management agency of the business cooperation zone, they only need to go through the verification of international travel documents and entry health quarantine. For foreign nationals bringing in personal and reasonable - quantity luggage items, only security access and animal and plant quarantine supervision of the luggage items will be carried out, and no further inspections will be conducted except for law - enforcement and case - handling needs. Foreign nationals can stay in the zone for 30 days for business activities and can apply for an extension if needed. If foreign nationals in the zone need to visit other areas in China, they can apply for a port visa at the port visa authority.
After the closed operation of the pilot startup area, it will have three core functions. Firstly, it will facilitate international business exchanges, meeting the needs of foreign nationals for short - term business stays and providing convenience for their business meetings and negotiations. It encourages headquarters - type enterprises, multinational corporations, and international institutions to carry out cross - border business activities. Secondly, it will serve high - end international exhibition activities. Chinese enterprises are encouraged to strengthen cooperation with international well - known exhibition enterprises, overseas professional exhibition organizers, and the International Exhibition Industry Association to hold international well - known brand exhibitions and economic and trade exhibitions in the zone. Foreign institutions are allowed to independently hold foreign - related economic and technological exhibitions in the zone, except for those with names containing words like "China", "the People's Republic of China", "National", and "State". Thirdly, it will improve the quality of training services. Domestic and foreign universities, research institutions, multinational corporations, and industry associations are encouraged to carry out international training activities in the zone. Professional training services such as large - scale medical device operation and aviation simulation flight are also encouraged in the zone.
"After the operation of the pilot startup area, with an unprecedented open form, it will become a new platform for facilitating international business exchanges, a new carrier for the convergence of service resources and elements, and a new node for promoting the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta," it was said.