The Shangqiu Urban-Rural Integration Demonstration Zone was established with the approval of the Henan Provincial People’s Government. Located in the eastern part of downtown Shangqiu, it serves as the city’s “Eastern Gateway.” As a new economic growth pole and a demonstration zone designed to drive development, it is positioned to become a “bridgehead for opening up to the outside world and a new hub for the hub economy.” It is a modern urban district characterized by the integration of industry and urban development, comprehensive amenities, a beautiful environment, and an ideal setting for work, residence, education, and tourism.With a total area of 328 square kilometers, the zone has a permanent population of nearly 1 million. It comprises five subdistricts—Pingtai, Ping’an, Zhongzhou, Minxin, and Min’an—as well as three townships (Zhangge, Zhouji, and Jiazhai) and the Administrative Committee of the East High-Speed Rail Station Area.

This zone serves as a vital platform for Shangqiu’s efforts to build a “bridgehead for opening up to the outside world and a new high ground for hub economy.”The Beijing-Kowloon Railway, Longhai Railway, National Highway 310, National Highway 105, Lianhuo Expressway, Jiguang Expressway, Zhengzhou-Xuzhou High-Speed Railway, and Shangqiu-Hefei-Hangzhou High-Speed Railway all converge within the district, forming a golden “ meter” (rice) character-shaped transportation network. Shangqiu South Railway Station and Shangqiu East High-Speed Railway Station on the Beijing-Kowloon Railway are located within the Demonstration Zone; all three exits of the Jiguang Expressway—Shangqiu New District North, South, and Yingbin—are situated within the Demonstration Zone.The area has successively been awarded national honors such as “National Commerce and Service-Oriented Logistics Hub City,” “National Comprehensive Transportation Hub City,” and “National Backbone Cold Chain Logistics Base.” Currently, its transportation advantages are rapidly transforming into hub economic advantages.

This is a key foundation for Shangqiu to showcase its “profound historical heritage and status as the birthplace of the Shang Dynasty culture.”As a vital component of Shangqiu’s main urban area, the Demonstration Zone embodies profound historical and cultural heritage and stands as one of the cradles of Chinese civilization and the Chinese nation. It is home to the tomb and shrine of Cangjie, the legendary inventor of Chinese characters; an ancient ginkgo tree dating back to the Western Han Dynasty that has weathered over 2,000 years of history; and the “Seven Terraces and Eight Scenes” of the “300-Li Liang Garden”—including Lingtai and Zhutai—from the Han Dynasty’s King of Liang;and the Red Education Base—the Memorial Hall commemorating Chairman Mao’s inspection of Huanglou on August 8, 1958. This rich cultural heritage and revolutionary legacy have nurtured the Demonstration Zone’s unique local customs and traditions, created a vibrant cultural landscape, and written a chapter of flourishing industries.

This is a vital embodiment of Shangqiu’s commitment to “prioritizing projects and striving for industrial growth.”The Demonstration Zone adheres to the principle of “projects first” and is committed to industrial expansion. It actively implements the Industrial Expansion Plan and the Central Urban Area Revitalization Plan, guided by innovation-driven development, leveraging investment promotion as a breakthrough, and supported by project construction. Setting high standards, breaking new ground, and taking on major responsibilities, the zone continues to focus on advanced equipment manufacturing and new materials, modern logistics, electronic information, and high-end services; demonstrates its capabilities in emerging industries; and secures a foothold in future industries.Centered on the leading enterprise Henan Foton Zhilian, the Demonstration Zone is building a new energy vehicle manufacturing industrial cluster. Focusing on advanced aluminum processing, it is cultivating an aluminum-based industrial cluster. Centered on the electronics industrial park, it is building a next-generation information technology industrial cluster. Centered on the logistics park, it is building three industrial clusters each valued at 100 billion yuan, all of which are being rapidly implemented. The Demonstration Zone’s leading industries have already taken shape and are thriving.

This is the vital core where Shangqiu converges to create an environment that is “beautiful, suitable for business, living, learning, and tourism.”Guided by the “Four Integrations” principle—integration of primary, secondary, and tertiary industries; integration of industry and urban development; integration of urban and rural areas; and integration of Shangqiu and Yuyang—the Demonstration Zone adheres to the “Three-in-One” concept of ecology, living, and production, as well as the “Four-in-One” concept of ecology, business, culture, and form. It is dedicated to building a city where “exhibition and breathing go hand in hand.” Currently, the 4A-rated Riyue Lake Scenic Area and the Riyue River Ecological Corridor have formed significant ecological water conservancy projects and a composite urban ecological landscape park;31 parks, including the Canal Park and Shahe Park, have formed a green space system that combines focal points with broader areas, creating a harmonious and interconnected landscape; distinctive roadscapes such as the Crape Myrtle Avenue, Hawthorn Avenue, and Cherry Blossom Avenue have created a garden city park scene where greenery connects, flowers bloom in three seasons, and evergreens thrive year-round—where every step reveals a new vista and every glance meets greenery.

This serves as a key demonstration of Shangqiu’s commitment to “an excellent business environment and convenient, efficient government services.” The Demonstration Zone consistently upholds the service philosophy that “every person, every matter, every moment, and every place constitutes the business environment.” It has thoroughly implemented initiatives such as the “Three Batches,” “Enterprise Service Day,” and “Ten Thousand People Assisting Ten Thousand Enterprises,” earnestly fulfilling its role as a “gold-medal service provider” to offer enterprises comprehensive, end-to-end services;It has vigorously advanced the “streamlining administration, delegating powers, improving regulation, and enhancing services” reform, established an Administrative Approval Service Center, and taken the lead in the city in implementing reforms to relatively centralize administrative licensing authority. The district has introduced specific measures to facilitate industrial transfer, effectively utilized investment promotion policies, and strived to create a “policy haven,” “service hub,” and “investment paradise” characterized by the most favorable policies, lowest costs, best services, and fastest processing times.

In 2024, the district’s GDP grew by 6.7% year-on-year, maintaining the top growth rate in the city; total retail sales of consumer goods increased by 6.4% year-on-year, ranking first in the city; fixed-asset investment rose by 8.4% year-on-year, ranking first in the city; and industrial added value from enterprises above designated size grew by 8.7% year-on-year, ranking second in the city.Currently, the entire district is earnestly studying and implementing Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, as well as the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s series of important speeches, instructions, and directives, including his important remarks during his inspection tour of Henan. Focusing on the “Two Highs and Four Priorities,” and leveraging the Yushang Economic and Technological Development Zone, the district is concentrating on advanced equipment manufacturing, new materials, new energy,modern services, and next-generation information technology to form industrial chains and clusters. We are striving to build industrial clusters for new energy vehicle manufacturing, aluminum-based new materials, next-generation information technology, and four logistics clusters each valued at 100 billion yuan, with the goal of being recognized as a national-level economic and technological development zone.