Shanghai Daily News

Lingang New Area which has attracted 10 billion yuan (US$1.25 billion) in investment since September, is flying high on the radar of both foreign and domestic companies.

Since last year, more than 30 firms have agreed to locate their Shanghai operations in the Nanhui District Industrial Park. According to Lingang officials, others are considering signing on to make the park their base.

As with all real estate, location is paramount and Lingang delivers. Lingang, which is connected to Yangshan Deep-Water Port by the new 32.5-kilometer Donghai Bridge, has attracted numerous high-technology facilities that support the Shanghai port industry.

As the backyard for Yangshan Port, Lingang New Area was created as a transport center to cater for the shipping industry.

The benefits of the Lingang, which encompasses an area of 300 square kilometers, are multiple as its central location can cater to all kinds of transport in shipping, air, overland and rail. The area is located about 25 kilometers from Pudong International Airport.

District officials recently announced that a further 36 billion yuan would be invested in the Lingang development. More than half of the funds will be used for infrastructure. When completed, the area will house about 800,000 residents.

Plans call for the town to be divided into five districts. Each will feature a different kind of industry, such as logistics, manufacturing and two for synthetically-made products. The other district will be residential.

The districts will house companies involved in the manufacturing of auto parts, shipping parts, logistics, aircraft and electrical.

Of the more than 30 companies who have agreed to locate to Lingang, among the more prominent names are Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation Group and China International Marine Containers Group.

Last month at a press conference to update the media on its progress, Lingang officials said that contracts had been signed for 22 projects in the park. These included 12 foreign companies who planned to invest more than US$200 million.

It is clear that Lingang is courting foreign investment. At the exhibition hall in the Lingang New Area, the Foreign Expats Center will soon open to introduce to the public just how the area has developed over the past seven years.

Other projects have also started construction recently and will finish within three years.

The Shanghai Maritime University and Shanghai Fisheries University are currently constructing their research centers at the park to provide their students with world-class facilities.

The Maritime Museum, expected to open next year, will house a huge collection of maritime memorabilia.

Lingang New Area is designed to support Yangshan Deep-Water Port as a storage area for both incoming and outgoing goods. With the strong support of the manufacturing and logistics industries, and a carefully-planned residential area, Lingang is being positioned as a satellite town for Shanghai.