Shanghai announces plans and projects to boost information consumption
The Shanghai Information Consumption Festival opens on Friday.
Shanghai is speeding up its digital economy development by encouraging information use, testing new technologies such as the Metaverse and artificial intelligence, and boosting exports of Made in Shanghai products, industry officials said on Friday.
Major online platforms such as Xiaohongshu (Red), Dianping, Trip.com and Douyin, as well as local e-commerce and gaming firms, attended the 2024 Shanghai Information Consumption Festival that opened on Friday.
Shanghai will increase research investment on new technology such as 5G, AR/VR, and AI and develop applications of AI models, the Metaverse, and blockchains. Meanwhile, the city encourages information technology firms to go global, especially cross-border e-commerce and game firms, the Shanghai Commission of Economy and Informatization said.
Local platforms reveal new projects to boost the city's digital economy and information consumption, such as food delivery drones.
A batch of Metaverse applications and cooperation projects were revealed on Friday, covering industrial, cultural, educational, and medical sectors. Firms including Meituan and Xiaohongshu also revealed new innovations used in Shanghai, such as food delivery drones, electronic products recycled for a green economy, and integration among fashion, sports and e-commerce.
Local digital shopping and delivery sites offered discounts for specialty items that respond to the latest trends.
Ele.me's promotion during the ongoing Shanghai International Coffee Culture Festival covered not only the popular coffee chain stores but also specialty cafes with half-price discounts each Thursday until the end of this month. A pop-up bazaar also welcomes visitors at Jing'an Park on May 18 and 19. A flash sale at the Hongqiao Railway station will be staged on May 23 and 24.
Dianping unveiled its latest "Must Eat List" with as many as 146 Shanghai restaurants and eateries included. Nearly 100 of these are regional chain restaurants and the others are local eateries in community neighborhoods.
Tailor-made coffee menus are also available on Meituan's delivery section which is set to begin on May 20, in addition to several popular routes offering guides of downtown boutique coffee shops.
Ele.me offers coffee delivery discounts each Thursday during the city's coffee culture festival.
