They can not only promote innovative cooperation among universities, research institutes, companies and governments, but also accelerate the conversion of life sciences and medical technologies from academic research into commercial applications. In doing so, the parks promote the development of new medicines and treatment methods.

The zone has been a core area in the development of the bioengineering and pharmaceutical industry in eastern China, and it has seen great achievements.

Biomedicine manufacturing businesses in the demonstration zone reported 71.7 billion yuan ($10.59 billion) in overall industrial output value in 2017, a year-on-year increase of 5.1 percent. The net profit was 12.12 billion yuan, an increase of 9.2 percent year-on-year, according to zone officials.

In addition, Shanghai's pharmaceutical industry accounted for 3.1 percent of the whole industry's national operating income last year. And 76 percent of Shanghai's total was contributed by businesses in the demonstration zone.

Biomedicine manufacturing industry in the zone also contributed 67.2 percent of overall biomedicine manufacturing industrial output value in Shanghai last year.

By the end of 2017, Zhangjiang demonstration zone was home to 207 large-scale biopharmaceutical companies, accounting for 56.9 percent of the total in Shanghai.

Pharmaceutical drugs, traditional Chinese medicines, biopharmaceuticals and medical device manufacturing are four key segments in the zone.