On June 1, the Google Cross-border E-commerce Acceleration Center announced its upcoming settlement in Shangcheng District, Hangzhou City, marking the district's lead in building a world-class digital hub to support local enterprises in going global. This initiative will serve as a powerful engine for Hangzhou-based businesses to expand into international 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. The local government has advanced the inheritance of Song-style culture by building an open-air museum and launching cultural tourism routes themed on Song aesthetics, balancing historic district preservation with urban renewal.
Scientific and technological innovation drives Shangcheng's high-quality development. In 2025, the district launched the construction of a Central Innovation District (CID) covering 122 square kilometers, transforming from a traditional commercial center into an AI-powered innovation ecosystem. Shangcheng set up a ten-billion-yuan industrial fund for artificial intelligence and embodied intelligence, providing financial support from R&D to commercialization. The district hosts over 50,000 college graduates under 35 and a total talent pool of 420,000, with its index for commercialization of scientific and technological achievements ranking among the top in Zhejiang Province.
Innovation platforms have flourished, such as Xizi Smart Industrial Park, renovated from old industrial workshops. It now gathers over 30 humanoid robot enterprises, and the Zhejiang Humanoid Robot Training Base was inaugurated in early 2026. At the base, humanoid robots are used in factories and daily scenarios, with breakthroughs in motion control and environmental perception.
The integration of culture and technology has boosted international consumption. Shangcheng is developing an international fashion and consumption hub, empowering scenarios with digital technologies. Hubin Pedestrian Street, adjacent to West Lake, attracts 40 million visits annually and houses over 1,200 brands, with digital and smart applications creating distinctive experiences. Sijiqing Fashion Street, one of China's most influential garment distribution hubs, is transforming into an international tourist and consumption destination, using digital design and flexible manufacturing to reshape supply chains.
"Rooted in history and culture, driven by scientific and technological innovation, and connected via international consumption, Shangcheng demonstrates how an eastern urban district strikes a balance between preservation and innovation, enabling millennia-old heritage to write a new chapter in the contemporary era," said an official of the district government. The arrival of the Google Cross-border E-commerce Acceleration Center underscores Shangcheng's ambition to become a global digital hub, with implications for businesses seeking to leverage AI and cross-border e-commerce for international growth.
