Jakarta. Shanghai is doubling down on its push to attract global small businesses, with officials reaffirming that foreign SMEs, including those from Indonesia, remain welcome to expand and invest in the city.

Shanghai’s Director General of the Municipal Commission of Commerce, Shen Weihua, said the city continues to foster a pro-business environment aimed at accelerating SME growth.

“Shanghai continues to provide a supportive environment for the development of small and medium enterprises and encourages all businesses to grow alongside the city,” Shen said on Monday.

He delivered the remarks at an event organized by China’s State Council.

By 2025, Shanghai is projected to host around 68,000 foreign SMEs, with most operating in agriculture, while others are engaged in manufacturing.

Shen said businesses are drawn to Shanghai’s advantages, including advanced transport infrastructure, easier access to financing, integrated industrial supply chains, a strong services sector, and a well-educated workforce.

The city government also runs incubation programs to help SMEs scale into large enterprises and eventually go public, while continuing to strengthen financing support.

“Last year, banks extended loans totaling 410 billion RMB, or around Rp 1.03 quadrillion, to 10,000 companies. We also lowered lending rates to ease corporate cost burdens,” Shen said.

On the services front, Shanghai has built an integrated support system for SMEs, including a complaint-handling mechanism to quickly resolve business challenges.

Shen added that the city ensures equal treatment for all companies and is leveraging technologies such as artificial intelligence to enhance service delivery.

“We will continue to optimize the business environment and welcome companies from around the world to invest and grow in Shanghai,” he said.