Shanghai’s new mayor leads off with free-trade zone commitment
Ying Yong tries to underscore his economic credentials after his official appointment to the municipality’s second-highest job
Shanghai’s new mayor tried to strike a confident and optimistic note in his public debut on Friday, giving assurances that the city would press on with financial reforms in its free-trade zone.
In his first media conference, just hours after the city’s legislature approved his appointment, Ying Yong, 59, a close aide of President Xi Jinping, also stressed that he had the skills to steer Shanghai through troubled economic waters.
He said he was determined to drive the city towards its goal of becoming an international financial centre.
Most of Ying’s career has been in law enforcement and the judiciary, with stints at the helm of Zhejiang and Shanghai’s higher courts.
His two-hour press conference was a stark contrast to the style of his predecessor, Yang Xiong, who did not face the media when he was appointed three years ago.
Ying expanded on policy directions, using figures to make a point and seldom referring to his prepared notes.