An aerial photo of Jiading district. [Photo provided to english.jiading.gov.cn]
Situated in northwestern Shanghai across 463 square kilometers, Jiading district, one of Shanghai's burgeoning outlying areas, is strategically positioned to bolster Shanghai's economy and drive development in the Yangtze River Delta region.
It is surrounded by Shanghai's Baoshan and Putuo districts to its east, Kunshan in Jiangsu province to its west, Shanghai's Minhang, Changning and Qingpu districts to its south, and Taicang in Jiangsu province to its north. The Liuhe River runs along its northern boundary, while the Wusong River runs along its south.
The district administers seven towns: Anting, Malu, Nanxiang, Jiangqiao, Xuhang, Waigang, and Huating; three sub-districts: Jiadingzhen, Xincheng Rd and Zhenxin; and the Jiading Industrial Zone and Juyuan New Area.
Official statistics indicate that the district's economy is growing steadily, with key economic indicators continuously improving. In 2023, its industrial sector achieved an added value of 156.8 billion yuan ($21.57 billion), a growth rate of 0.02 percent. The total industrial output value of industries above designated size was 450.44 billion yuan, a 0.1 percent year-on-year increase. Strategic emerging industries continued to lead, achieving an output value of 155.23 billion yuan, with a 4.1 percent growth rate. The automotive industry achieved an output value of 289.09 billion yuan, a 2.7 percent increase.
Jiading has become a key supporting area for the Shanghai Technology Innovation Center and a pilot area for emerging industries. According to Shanghai's plan, the city will accelerate the building of five "new cities" in its suburbs to optimize its development layout and boost economic growth in the next five years, with Jiading being one of the five new cities. The plan states that the municipal government will support the building of major industrial projects, high-quality public infrastructure, and comprehensive transportation hubs in the five new cities.
Research units in Jiading cover fields such as nuclear physics, silicate, computer science, automation control, and laser technology. The district is home to 11 national scientific research institutes, two research centers affiliated with the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and two scientific industrial bases, forming a research advantage in six strategic emerging industries: new energy vehicles, the internet of things, new energy, new materials, basic software and information, and biomedicine and medical equipment.
As the site of the Shanghai International Automobile City, Jiading has been striving to deploy auto industry resources, including everything from manufacturing to services, by leveraging resources such as SAIC Volkswagen, Tongji University and Auto Tech-Innovation Park, aiming to create a comprehensive auto industry base which integrates manufacturing, education, development, design, finance, trade, culture, tourism, and after-market service.
Jiading has been designated by the World Health Organization as a primary health care cooperation center and a pilot area for the "China Healthy City Project" and is recognized as an advanced area in the country for primary health care.
Jiading has a convenient transportation system, with the district government a 60-minute drive from the Pudong International Airport and a 20-minute drive from the Hongqiao International Airport. Passing through the district are the Shanghai-Nanjing Railway, Shanghai-Hangzhou Outer Ring Railway, and Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway. Shanghai Metro Line 11 and 13, which also pass through Jiading, are open. The district also boasts a sound highway system, with the G15 (Shenyang-Haikou Expressway), G2 (Beijing-Shanghai Expressway), S5 (Shanghai-Jiading Expressway), S6 (Shanghai-Nanxiang Expressway), and G1501 (Shanghai Belt Highway) traveling through it.
It is also home to an abundance of historical and cultural relics, and its cultural sector is thriving. The district occasionally schedules cultural festivals, such as the Confucius Culture Festival, and also promotes folk arts, such as bamboo carving, Xuhang straw-weaving, and Nanxiang steamed buns.
Jiading has hosted numerous international events, such as marathons, walking races, judo and national events such as table tennis, Go, chess, martial arts, and football. Since September 2004, the F1 World Championship Chinese Grand Prix has been held at the Shanghai International Circuit.
The district also has many scenic spots, such as the Fahua Pagoda, the Zhouqiao National AAAA Scenic Spot, Malu Grape Theme Park, and Huating Renjia National AAA Scenic Spot. The southern part of Jiading contains the Confucius Temple, built in 1219, which features splendid halls and corridors. On the east side is the Danghu Academy, Shanghai's only academy, built in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), while Qiuxia Garden is the oldest among Shanghai's five classical gardens. There are also a pair of graceful pavilion-style pagodas in Nanxiang, with a history of more than 1,000 years. Also situated in the town of Jiangqiao are the Huang Family Plantation (Garden), built in 1928 and famous for its rare trees.