长三角议事厅·周报｜从国际化消费试点看长三角城市新梯度

Core Insights - The Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Finance have jointly announced the list of "Pilot Cities for International Consumption Environment Construction," with Shanghai leading the Yangtze River Delta as an international consumption center, while Nanjing and Hangzhou have made their debut on the list [1][3][4] Group 1: Consumption Landscape - Shanghai remains at the top of the consumption hierarchy, with projected international tourism revenue of $11.09 billion in 2024, a growth of 79.3%, and domestic tourism revenue of approximately ¥497.26 billion, a growth of 35.2% [3] - Hangzhou is recognized as the "E-commerce Capital," with online retail sales exceeding ¥1 trillion in 2022, supported by over 128 e-commerce platforms and 1.25 million online stores [3][4] - Nanjing excels in offline shopping districts and cultural scenes, with a focus on revitalizing historical areas and enhancing night economy, leading to a higher density of cultural offerings compared to similar cities [4] Group 2: Absence of Strong Manufacturing Cities - Notable absences from the pilot list include major manufacturing cities like Suzhou, Ningbo, and Wuxi, which, despite their economic strength, have not developed corresponding international consumption environments [5][6] - Suzhou is projected to surpass ¥1 trillion in retail sales in 2024, yet its service sector's contribution to GDP is only about 52.4%, indicating a reliance on manufacturing income rather than a robust consumer market [5][6] - Ningbo and Wuxi also exhibit similar trends, with low inbound tourism numbers and a lack of international consumption experiences, highlighting a disconnect between industrial strength and consumer engagement [5][6] Group 3: Regional Consumption Gradient - The Yangtze River Delta has established a preliminary consumption gradient, with Shanghai at the internationalization peak, followed by Hangzhou and Nanjing as innovation hubs, while Suzhou, Ningbo, and Wuxi lag behind in consumer engagement [6][7] - This entrenched structure may weaken the overall domestic demand potential of the Yangtze River Delta and create new imbalances in urban capabilities and regional roles [6] Group 4: Challenges in Consumption Coordination - Despite advancements in transportation integration, the consumption landscape has not evolved correspondingly, with a lack of clear regional consumption function division [7][8] - The absence of a unified data framework hampers regional collaboration, as cities rely on disparate data sources, leading to a fragmented understanding of consumer behavior across the region [8] Group 5: Recommendations for Regional Benefits - To transform the pilot cities' advantages into regional benefits, it is essential to address institutional shortcomings and establish unified standards for cross-city operations [9][10] - Shanghai should continue to serve as a global entry point, while Nanjing and Hangzhou can focus on cultural and digital consumption experiences, respectively, to create a cohesive regional consumption ecosystem [9][10] - Developing a regional consumption big data platform could enhance policy precision and foster sustainable cross-city consumption habits [10]