Shanghai tops in ease of doing biz

Shanghai is not only a good place for businesses to grow, but also a place that is willing to contribute and build together for the long-term, senior executives and experts said.

The comments follow Shanghai's latest action plan to improve its business environment.

"My first and deepest impression is that the Shanghai municipal government has made great efforts to improve the business environment across various areas," said Simon Lichtenberg, founder and CEO of Shanghai-based furniture manufacturer Trayton Group.

The Danish entrepreneur, who has been working in China for 38 years, said these efforts are not superficial but involve coordinated measures that make businesses feel valued and supported in practical ways.

Lichtenberg made the remarks during the release of Shanghai's latest iteration of its action plan -which seeks to accelerate the creation of a world-class business environment (2026) — in January.

The plan is intended to provide clearer guidance, improve operational efficiency, and address the evolving needs of both domestic and international enterprises.

The new edition of the plan also seeks to stimulate the vitality of various market entities, and enhance Shanghai's attractiveness to high-end domestic and international resources, according to Chen Jining, Party secretary of Shanghai.

"During the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) period, we will continue to prioritize the optimization of the business environment as a key driver of high-quality development, further deepen high-standard opening-up, attract top enterprises and talent from home and abroad, and fully unleash innovation and creativity,"Chen said, emphasizing that the plan is a long-term strategy to sustain growth and competitiveness.

This is the ninth consecutive action plan issued by the Shanghai municipal government and consists of 26 tasks across four key areas. Compared with previous versions, this year's plan features more focused task arrangements and a more concise wording, said Kong Yuan, deputy head of the business environment construction division at the Shanghai Municipal Development and Reform Commission.

"The plan's design reflects careful thought and aims to make implementation smoother and results more tangible for enterprises," Kong added.

Lu Ming, a professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University's Antai College of Economics and Management, said the latest plan reflects a more pragmatic approach and better incorporates Shanghai's own characteristics. Lu added that it is shorter and more streamlined than last year's version.

"The emphasis is on measurable outcomes, ensuring that each initiative directly benefits market entities while reinforcing Shanghai's long-term development goals," he said.

Lu said the plan integrates World Bank business environment evaluation standards into concrete practices of the city, while also highlighting Shanghai's long-standing strengths in industrial ecosystems and social governance. "It demonstrates how local characteristics can be aligned with global benchmarks, providing a model that other cities may learn from," Lu said.

Xu Yuxuan, vice-president of public affairs at Black Lake Technologies, an industrial internet company based in Shanghai's Changning district, shared a similar view.

Xu said that the company -which was founded in 2016 and which faced significant challenges in market orders in 2024 — has benefited directly from Shanghai's streamlined policies and support measures.

"If Black Lake were not headquartered in Shanghai, and without the strong industrial ecosystem of the Yangtze River Delta region and policy support from Shanghai's improved business environment, it would have been difficult for us to overcome funding pressure and achieve financial self-sufficiency,"Xu said.

He added that the city's administrative procedures have become increasingly efficient, with many services now completed through a single online platform, significantly reducing paperwork and offline processing.