Shanghai, why does we need Lingang?

Looking down on Shanghai from the sky, people can find a round lake in its southeast corner, separated from the sea by only a narrow strip of land. This is the "Dishui Lake", the landmark of Shanghai Lingang .

It is an artificial lake with a surface area comparable to that of West Lake.

Please watch horizontally, panoramic view of the southeast corner of Shanghai and the round Dishui Lake | Photographer @陈昌

The area around Dishui Lake is the central urban area of ​​Lingang. With the construction of Dishui Lake, this area has become the easternmost and newest urban area in Shanghai .

Dishui Lake and surrounding landscapes | Photographer @小神仙 is here again!

However, due to its distance from the bustling center of Shanghai, Lingang has had a low presence for a long time until the Lingang New Area of ​​the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone was established in August 2019.

Since then, Lingang has not only gradually come into the public eye, but its area has also been greatly expanded.

The Lingang landmark "Shanghai Dishui Lake InterContinental Hotel" located on the South Island of Dishui Lake was upgraded and renovated from the original "Dishui Lake Crowne Plaza Hotel" in March this year due to the establishment of the Lingang New Area | Photographer @小神仙又来了!

It should be noted that the Shanghai Pilot Free Trade Zone is the first pilot free trade zone established in my country, and Lingang has become another area of ​​the Shanghai Free Trade Zone after the Waigaoqiao Bonded Area and the Lujiazui Financial Area, assuming the important function of further opening up Shanghai to the outside world.

Schematic diagram of the distribution of China's (Shanghai) free trade pilot zones | Map by @Song Nan/Planet Research Institute

So, why did Lingang become the forefront of Shanghai's opening up? How did it become what it is today?

01

Facing the sea

The Lingang area is located in the southeast corner of Shanghai. It is surrounded by the sea on three sides, with the Yangtze River Estuary to the north, Hangzhou Bay to the south, and the East China Sea to the east.

Schematic diagram of the location of the Lingang area . The regional division here adopts the scope of urban planning functional areas, not town-level divisions | Map by @Song Nan/Planet Research Institute

Therefore, at the Nanhuizui Seaview Park on the east side of Dishui Lake, you can watch the sunrise over the East China Sea and the ebb and flow of the tide.

Watching the sunrise over the East China Sea at Lingang | Photographer @白鸽

Behind Dishui Lake, there are rows of brand new buildings.

Dishuihu subway station and other buildings next to Dishuihu | Photographer @Tang Zhenming

But if we go back to 2002, the place looked quite different.

At that time, Guanhai Park was still a sea, and there was no Dishui Lake in Lingang. Mudflats occupied most of the land here, and remoteness and desolation were its characteristics.

Illustration of land changes in Lingang over the past 20 years | Map by @Song Nan/Planet Research Institute

Even the areas that have become land are very young, and were only gradually formed during the Tang Dynasty. It can be said that they have undergone tremendous changes .

If we trace back further, the tremendous changes here are closely related to the formation of the Yangtze River Delta.

The huge amount of silt transported by the Yangtze River accumulated at the river mouth, and the Yangtze River Delta was gradually formed. Southern Jiangsu and Shanghai, including Chongming Island, were gradually formed and expanded in this context.

A simplified diagram of sediment accumulation in the Yangtze River Delta | Map by Yang Ning/Planetary Research Institute

In addition to the wonders of nature, the changes in Shanghai Lingang are actually more dependent on human efforts.

In the 1990s, the development and opening up of Shanghai Pudong was carried out vigorously, and the cargo throughput of Shanghai Port increased dramatically.

However, the Yangtze River channel has been silted up for years and needs dredging; the coast of Shanghai is mostly muddy and lacks a deep-water port. Shanghai decided to cooperate with Zhejiang to build a deep-water port on Yangshan Island.

Shanghai Yangshan Port and the island in the distance | Photographer @大徐

In 2002, the construction of Yangshan Deepwater Port started, and the East China Sea Bridge connecting the port and the land was also started.

Donghai Bridge stretching into the distance | Photographer @阮俊杰

In the same year, the development and construction of Lingang , the hinterland of Yangshan Port, was also put on the agenda.

The construction of Dishui Lake and the cross-sea silt-reducing embankment has started first. Large tracts of new land will be rapidly formed in the next ten years or so, laying the foundation for subsequent development.

Century Pond Road and seawall in Lingang | Photographer @阮俊杰

Therefore, in Lingang facing the sea, you can see a steady stream of container trucks driving down the Donghai Bridge and heading towards Shanghai and even all over the country.

Container vehicles travel back and forth on the Donghai Bridge at the Yangshan Port end | Image source @Visual China

You can see the tree-lined avenues and ecological green spaces surrounding Dishui Lake.

Dishui Lake North Island Green Space | Photographer @王建军

The port itself also has important ecological value.

The tidal flats east of Lingang, despite massive land expansion, are still an important stopover point on the East Asian migratory bird belt, retaining some wetlands that are vital for bird habitat.

In recent years, more and more bird-watching enthusiasts have spontaneously organized themselves to protect this precious ecological wetland and guard migratory birds.

Please watch in horizontal mode, migratory birds Ring-necked Plover ( héng ) and Black-bellied Sandpiper ( yù ) resting in Nanhui Dongtan Wetland | Photographer @刘晨eason

Up to this point, Lingang has only been built from scratch with the help of Yangshan Port, and there is still a big gap between it and the current Lingang New Area.

Next, what earth-shaking changes have taken place in Lingang in just 20 years? Why has it become the forefront of Shanghai's opening up in just 20 years?

02

New Town Rise

At the beginning of Lingang's construction, Shanghai planned it to be just an auxiliary city, whose main functions were to relieve population pressure in the central urban area and introduce modern equipment manufacturing industry.

The Sany Heavy Industry factory area is full of excavators. It moved to the Shanghai Lingang Industrial Park in 2009 | Photographer @申然

Although Lingang has already broken through this setting in its subsequent growth process, the early Lingang still faced many difficulties in developing smoothly. The introduction of population alone was a test that was not easy to pass.

The sailboat-shaped building in the center of the Dishui Lake is the "Shanghai China Maritime Museum". The foundation stone was laid in 2006 and officially opened in 2010. It is one of the earliest landmark buildings built in Lingang. | Photographer @阮俊杰

The straight-line distance from the " Dishu Lake " near the center of Lingang to the central urban area of ​​Shanghai is about 55 kilometers. At the same straight-line distance, going west from the central urban area of ​​Shanghai can reach Kunshan City, Suzhou.

Comparison of the straight-line distance between Lingang and the central urban area of ​​Shanghai | Map by @Song Nan/Planet Research Institute

It can be seen from this that the long distance is a problem that needs to be solved urgently. Since the actual distance cannot be changed, the only option is to build a convenient road network.

Among them, the first to be opened to traffic was the expressway numbered S2 (formerly numbered A2) connecting downtown Shanghai and the Donghai Bridge. Because its terminus passed through Luchao Port next to the Donghai Bridge, it was named " Shanghai-Luoyang Expressway ". This road greatly shortened the distance from Lingang to downtown.

The intersection of the horizontal Lianggang Avenue and the vertical Tongshun Avenue | Photographer @唐振明

At the same time, an urban expressway that meanders along the southeast corner of Shanghai is also being built rapidly. This is Lianggang Avenue .

Lianggang Avenue Viaduct | Photographer @Tang Zhenming

It is an important road that passes through the Lingang central urban area, connecting the Yangshan International Deepwater Port and the Pudong International Airport, two major transportation hubs.

In addition, the Shanghai Ring Expressway also connects the outer areas of Shanghai. Together with Lingang Avenue, Haigang Avenue, Shengang Avenue and other roads in the Lingang area, the internal and external connections of the Lingang area have become smoother.

Schematic diagram of the main transportation routes in Lingang | Map by @Song Nan/Planet Research Institute

Of course, when it comes to transportation connecting Lingang and downtown Shanghai, Shanghai Metro Line 16 is also crucial.

However, it was built relatively late and was not fully opened to traffic until 2014. And because it connects a wide area, it has long been one of the most crowded subway lines in Shanghai, with a daily passenger flow of more than 200,000.

On the left is the Longyang Road Station of Shanghai Metro Line 16. In recent years, the carriages have been changed from three to six. On the right is the Maglev Train Station | Photographer @刘培龙

If the traffic problem is improved, will people continue to flow in?

Most of those who stayed in Lingang in the early days were urban builders who came here. They built residential areas, commercial areas, university campuses, etc. step by step according to the planning drawings.

Lingang under construction, below is the hydrogen-powered medium-capacity bus that will be put into trial operation in 2022 | Photographer @Qiu Daocen

Then came the large influx of tens of thousands of college students.

After 2008, with the completion of Lingang campuses of Shanghai Maritime University, Shanghai Ocean University and other universities, a large number of students moved here. They have a larger and newer campus and will also face the Lingang area under construction.

The main building of the Lingang Campus of Shanghai Maritime University is the Shanghai Maritime University Gymnasium, and there is an elevated road being laid below . Photographer @阮俊杰

Students graduate one after another, but the construction of Lingang has never stopped. The buildings seem to follow a certain rhythm, from the beginning of construction to completion, gradually occupying the dusty land.

The gradually improved facilities are becoming more and more attractive to people and industries.

Relying on Yangshan Port, Lingang has established a logistics park; relying on universities, Lingang has built a science and technology innovation park on the shore of Dishui Lake; relying on policy support, Lingang has established an equipment industry manufacturing zone.

Yangshan Special Comprehensive Bonded Zone and nearby areas beside the Hulu Expressway | Photographer @张扬小强

In addition to the industrial area, there are also abundant entertainment facilities here, which attract a large number of tourists every year.

At the China Maritime Museum, people can listen to stories about the evolution of China's maritime history and see the internal structures of long-distance ships.

Shanghai China Maritime Museum | Image source @Visual China

In the park around Dishui Lake, people can stroll and feel the nature.

Please watch in horizontal mode, Dishui Lake Park and the InterContinental Shanghai Dishui Lake Hotel in front | Photographer @唐振明

At Shanghai Haichang Ocean Park, people can understand the diversity of species on Earth from a bystander's perspective, and perhaps think more about the future in their lives.

In the world's largest planetarium, Shanghai Planetarium, people can feel the wonders of the universe and the insignificance of human beings.

Shanghai Planetarium | Photographer @王建军

At Nanhuizui Seaview Park, people can visit the sea, watch the raging waves, or watch the sea and sky merge into one after the tide recedes.

Sunrise after low tide on the eastern beach of Lingang. Visitors should pay attention to the rise and fall of sea water | Photographer @黄凯

At this moment, when we look into the distance, we can see several wind power stations standing next to the Donghai Bridge.

There is the Donghai Bridge Offshore Wind Farm, which is my country's first large-scale offshore wind power project and also the first offshore wind power project in Asia.

Donghai wind turbine and the Donghai Bridge next to it | Photographer @赵靖影

Not only that, when we walk on the roads in Lingang, we can find that clean energy such as solar energy has already been used everywhere.

A low-carbon city and a new technology city that continues to apply technology to all aspects came into being.

The parking lot of SAIC Lingang Production Base, with photovoltaic power generation equipment on the roof | Photographer @刘培龙

It will no longer be just a satellite city, but another open development center of Shanghai. What is the opportunity behind this?

03

Openness and the future

In August 2019, the Lingang New Area of ​​the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone was established, which instantly promoted Lingang from Shanghai to the whole country and even the world.

Since then, openness, openness, and openness have become the main theme of Lingang. Favorable policies on enterprise access, taxation, and talent settlement are all paving the way for free trade.

**** Shanghai Lingang Chuangjing Technology Center, it is one of the representative buildings of the International Innovation Collaborative Zone created by Lingang New Area | Photographer @刘培龙

However, to build a qualified new free trade zone, Lingang first needs to expand its area to meet the growing demand for industry to move in.
Therefore, with the original Lingang area as the core, the Lingang New Area includes parts of Huinan and other towns in Pudong New Area , as well as parts of Fengxian and Minhang districts , forming a new free trade area of ​​about 870 square kilometers, occupying nearly one-seventh of Shanghai's land.

Schematic diagram of the urban composition of Lingang New Area , including the area south of Pudong Airport and the town where Xiaoyangshan Island is located | Map by @Song Nan/Planet Research Institute

The first batch of companies to settle in Lingang include ACM Semiconductor Equipment Co., Ltd., which has world-leading technology, and CNOOC Rongfeng Energy Co., Ltd., which focuses on the development of deep-sea wind power resources.

The Innovation Magic Square built in Lingang New Area in recent years is located in the core of the Lingang New Area International Collaborative Innovation Zone | Photographer @Qiu Daocen

It has been three years since the Lingang New Area was built. With the gradual advancement of the opening-up policy, major investment projects are signed or started here every year.

These projects involve high-tech fields such as integrated circuits, biomedicine, artificial intelligence, and high-end equipment manufacturing.

As of 2022, the total number of signed cutting-edge science and technology projects has reached 300, with a total investment of over 400 billion yuan.

Illustration of the number of signed projects in Lingang New Area | Map by @Yang Ning/Planet Research Institute

For example, in 2019, the main part of Tesla's Gigafactory was built in less than a year, and pilot production began in November. This was once called the "Lingang Speed".

Tesla Super Factory in Lingang, Shanghai | Photographer @唐振明

In 2020, the new generation of artificial intelligence computing and empowerment platform project of artificial intelligence platform company SenseTime was launched in Lingang.

SenseTime Artificial Intelligence Computing Center | Photographer @刘培龙

In 2021, the Lingang Industrialization Base Project of Advanced Micro-Semiconductor Equipment (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. started construction.

Shanghai Zhongwei Lingang Industrialization Base Phase I | Photographer @刘培龙

This year, SMIC's Lingang 12-inch wafer foundry production line project settled in the Shuyuan Community of the Lingang New Area; CATL (Shanghai) intelligent technology integrated electric chassis research and development project started in Lingang; and Medtronic , the first Fortune 500 foreign-funded biopharmaceutical company, signed a contract to settle in Lingang.

Shanghai Shenneng Lingang Gas Turbine Power Station in Lingang Hydrogen Energy Industrial Zone , for illustration only | Photographer @刘培龙

The arrival of these leading companies in the industry has laid a solid foundation for the construction of port-based characteristic industrial parks such as Oriental Chip Port and Life Blue Bay in the new area.

The openness and policy advantages of the Lingang New Area are also further attracting the gathering of industries. Therefore, for Shanghai and the entire country, the establishment of the Lingang New Area is undoubtedly a worthwhile experiment.

Qingtongyuan Factory Building of Phase 5 of Lingang Intelligent Manufacturing Park beside Lianggang Avenue | Photographer @刘培龙

At the same time, the establishment of the new area also benefits the Yangshan Deepwater Port on the other side of the East China Sea Bridge. It is one of the three major port areas of Shanghai Port, an important trump card for Shanghai to become an international shipping center , and one of the three pilot launch areas of the Lingang New Area.

In 2020, Yangshan Port alone accounted for 46% of Shanghai Port's container throughput, and Shanghai Port's container throughput has ranked first in the world since 2010.

Shanghai Yangshan Deepwater Port, Phase IV Automated Terminal | Image source @Visual China

Relying on this, the new area will upgrade the original Yangshan Bonded Port Area to Yangshan Special Comprehensive Bonded Zone , helping to deepen the Shanghai international shipping hub.

Relying on the special tax policies here, Yangshan Port has also become the first port in the country and the third in the world that can provide bonded liquefied natural gas (LNG) "ship-to-ship" refueling for international ships. It is also the largest LNG receiving station in Shanghai.

Yangshan LNG (liquefied natural gas) receiving station | Photographer @Lu Zhifeng

The concentration of industries has put higher demands on Lingang’s transportation, which urgently needs more dense, smooth and diversified transportation to connect this vast free trade zone area.

Therefore, based on the existing transportation routes, Shanghai has planned a variety of transportation routes including the Two Ports Express, the Shanghai-Nantong Railway Phase II, and the G228 Coastal National Highway.

They will further shorten the travel time between the Lingang New Area and Shanghai urban area, and deepen the connectivity with the Yangtze River Delta region.

Schematic diagram of the traffic routes under construction in Lingang New Area | Map by @Song Nan/Planet Research Institute

When we once again shift our attention to the Lingang central urban area around Dishui Lake, this is a highly anticipated area under the halo of the Lingang New Area.

Each area around Dishui Lake carries corresponding functions.

On the West Island of Dishui Lake, the "Bank of China Tower", the future tallest building in Lingang, is under construction. It represents Lingang's future key industry of offshore financial services, that is, the liberalization of cross-border capital flows, which is being implemented step by step.

West Island extends into Dishui Lake, with the Bank of China Building under construction | Photographer @刘培龙

To the southwest of Dishui Lake, the role of the international innovation collaboration zone that the Lingang New Area has devoted its efforts to building is becoming increasingly prominent.

Recently, the fifth " World Top Scientists Forum " attended by several Nobel Prize winners, academicians of the two Chinese academies and other famous scientists was grandly held in Shanghai, and Lingang was the venue for the forum.

What is special is that the permanent venue of the World Top Scientists Forum , built in the International Innovation Collaborative Zone of the Lingang New Area, was completed and an opening ceremony was held on November 4.

The permanent venue of the World Top Scientists Forum in Lingang New Area , photographed in October 2022 | Photographer @唐振明

With this, the Lingang New Area will also build a "top scientist community" here, including a joint R&D center, Mobius Science Park, etc.

Here, China Construction contributes the strength of Chinese architecture to the construction of the "Top Science Community" urban unit. Across the street from the Top Science Forum venue, it has built an international residential area of ​​about 700,000 square meters (including a joint R&D center) called "World Top Science Community Jiuhai Yuntian", creating a new generation of high-quality residences in Lingang and providing high-standard living facilities for the new generation of scientific and technological elites who live and work here.

Aerial view of the world's top science community Jiuhaiyuntian | Image source @中建九合

Looking back on the construction process over the past 20 years, Lingang has grown from nothing to something, continuously developed and opened up, and finally ushered in a huge transformation.

This transformation is still ongoing today, with increasingly faster traffic, buildings under construction, and influx of people all illustrating these changes.

Lingang will eventually become the forefront of Shanghai's opening up to the outside world and another development center of Shanghai.

Please watch in horizontal mode, panoramic view of Dishui Lake at dawn | Image source @Visual China

- This article was created by the team -

Written by | Wang Logic

Photo | Long Shijie

Map | Songnan

Design | Yang Ning

Proofreading | Xiang Bu Xiang, Qing Liu, Chen Zhihao

Head Photographer | Tang Zhenming

Cover | Visual China

【References】

[1] Zou Yilin, Zhang Xiugui. China's Historical Physical Geography. China Physical Geography Series[M]. Science Press, 2013, 10.

[2] Pei Enle, et al. Dynamic changes of migratory waterbird communities in Shanghai’s coastal wetlands[J]. Journal of Fudan University (Natural Science Edition), 2007, 46(6).

[3] Zhang Xiaodong, et al. Continuous siltation of the largest uninhabited sand island at the Yangtze River estuary due to a sharp decrease in sediment discharge into the sea[J]. Science China: Earth Sciences, 2021, 51(11).

[4] Zhao Qingying, Yang Shilun, Liu Shouqi. Formation and evolution of the Yangtze River Delta[J]. Shanghai Geology, 2002.

[5] Yang Xifeng, et al. Seven years of hard work: the planning and management practice of Lingang New City (2002-2009)[J]. Shanghai Urban Planning, 2009, 87(4).

Special Notes:

1. The pictures, texts, data and other related materials involved in this advertisement, as well as the introduction of the surrounding environment, transportation and other supporting facilities of the project, are intended to provide relevant information. Changes due to relevant government plans, regulations and reasons beyond the control of the developer are not excluded.

2. The 700,000 square meter project area mentioned in the article includes the building area of ​​the joint R&D center.

3. The term “World’s Top Scientists Community” comes from http://www.pudong.gov.cn/.

4. The location map is only a schematic diagram of the roads. The specific roads and plans shall be subject to the documents issued by the government.