On June 1, the Google Cross-border E-commerce Acceleration Center announced its upcoming settlement in Shangcheng District, Hangzhou City, east China's Zhejiang Province. This move marks Shangcheng's lead in building a world-class digital hub to support local enterprises in going global, serving as a powerful engine for Hangzhou-based businesses to expand into global markets, according to the information office of Shangcheng District government.
Shangcheng District is a place where time-honored cultural heritage blends perfectly with modern rhythms. Home to the ruins of the Southern Song imperial city, it has been the core of Hangzhou since the Sui and Tang dynasties, carrying forward Song-style culture for over 800 years. In recent years, the local government has advanced the initiative to inherit and promote Song-style culture, building an open-air museum and launching cultural tourism routes themed on Song aesthetics, advancing historic district preservation and urban renewal.
Scientific and technological innovation acts as the core driving force for Shangcheng's high-quality development. In 2025, the district launched the construction of a Central Innovation District (CID) to unleash new productive forces. Covering 122 square kilometers, the entire district has evolved from a traditional commercial center into an innovation ecosystem powered mainly by artificial intelligence. Shangcheng has set up a ten-billion-yuan industrial fund for artificial intelligence and embodied intelligence, providing financial support for cutting-edge tech enterprises. The district is home to more than 50,000 college graduates under 35, with a total talent pool of 420,000, and its index for commercialization of scientific and technological achievements ranks among the top tier in Zhejiang Province.
Driven by this strategy, platforms like Xizi Smart Industrial Park have flourished. Renovated from old industrial workshops, it now gathers over 30 humanoid robot enterprises, and the Zhejiang Humanoid Robot Training Base was inaugurated here in early 2026. At the base, humanoid robots have been put into use in factories and daily scenarios, with breakthroughs in core technologies such as motion control and environmental perception.
The integration of culture and technology has also boosted international consumption. Adjacent to West Lake, Hubin Pedestrian Street attracts 40 million visits annually and houses over 1,200 renowned brands. Digital applications have been introduced to create distinctive experiences, bringing technological fun to ordinary consumption. Sijiqing Fashion Street, one of China's most influential garment distribution hubs, is undergoing transformation into an international tourist and consumption destination, with digital design and flexible manufacturing reshaping traditional supply chains.
"Rooted in history and culture, driven by scientific and technological innovation, and connected via international consumption, Shangcheng demonstrates to the world how an eastern urban district strikes a balance between preservation and innovation," said an official of the district government. This settlement of the Google Cross-border E-commerce Acceleration Center underscores Shangcheng's strategic position at the intersection of heritage and modernity, providing local enterprises with a powerful platform to reach global markets.
