The Shanghai International Automobile City in Anting. [Photo/jiading.gov.cn]
In Anting town, a hub for China's automobile industry, a remarkable transformation is taking place that highlights its improving industrial business environment.
Automotive innovation
An autonomous shuttle bus in Anting. [Photo/jiading.gov.cn]
Anting's automotive journey began over 40 years ago with China's first Santana and has since seen explosive growth in the industry. The business environment here has adapted by embracing innovation.
A standout result of business-government cooperation in the sector is ZF Group's smart factory. Without expanding its footprint, this facility has upgraded to automated systems, minimizing human intervention and enhancing efficiency.
Anting's focuses on "industrial renewal" by optimizing resources like land and labor, transforming facilities such as the SAIC Volkswagen test track into a public R&D platform.
The launch of the SAIC Audi manufacturing base and the Shanghai Motor Vehicle Testing Center's chip testing platform further bolstered the industry's development.
Anting is now home to over 1,240 automotive enterprises, focusing on new energy vehicles and autonomous driving to create a complete ecosystem of R&D, testing, production, and application.
Racing excitement
The Shanghai International Circuit. [Photo/jiading.gov.cn]
In 2004, the F1 Chinese Grand Prix debuted at the Shanghai International Circuit. The event attracted over 220,000 spectators this year alone, with next year's tickets selling out in just 15 minutes.
The Shanghai International Circuit does not just rely on the F1 season—it hosts frequent races and has developed a "racing+" ecosystem.
Anting has transformed racing into immersive experiences, offering family camps and track tours that let visitors explore the pit area and experience the track from a racer's perspective.
The automotive culture festival, car cinema, themed markets, and tech exhibitions integrate the "race economy" into urban life.
The vibrant race economy is flourishing, with cultural merchandise and a "ticket economy" model boosting local businesses.