Shanghai Waigaoqiao Free Trade Zone

Shanghai Waigaoqiao Free Trade Zone is located in the Pudong New Area, Shanghai, adjacent to the estuary of the Yangtze River and bordering the Waigaoqiao deep-water port.

Approved by the State Council in June 1990, it was the first bonded zone in China designated to carry out free trade, export-oriented processing, logistics and warehousing, as well as demonstration and trading of bonded goods.

With a planned area of 10 sq km, it has developed a 6.4-sq km area for business operations.

In 2017, its import and export volume reached 783.68 billion yuan ($115.59 billion), up 6 percent year-on-year; it had a total of 1,770 new investment projects and brought in overseas capital of $24.65 billion in contract value, accounting for 78.3 percent of the total of the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone.

The 68,300-sq m Shanghai International Artwork Bonded Service Center has passed required inspection and will be developed into the world’s largest bonded warehouse for artworks.

The National Base for International Cultural Trade in the zone is home to about 500 enterprises and its import value of cultural products accounts for 40 percent of the city’s total.

Waigaoqiao Free Trade Zone gives full play to its advantages in developing industries and extending the industrial chain. While consolidating its role as an international trade base, it is also striving to promote the modern logistics and export-oriented processing industry and speed up incubation of modern service providers involving commodity display, market service and technological R&D. It also intends to attract the regional headquarters of transnational corporations.