Shanghai will have a stronger focus on ecological development rather than solely focusing on economic growth, a senior expert said on Wednesday.

Zhu Dajian, a professor at the School of Economics and Management at Shanghai's Tongji University, delivered a report to the city's top leaders about the concept of ecology over economy this week.

It gives a glimpse of what is on the minds of the city's new leadership headed by Party chief Han Zheng, said Zhu, who is also the director of the university's Institute of Governance for Sustainable Development. Zhu said Shanghai is taking the lead in China in pushing forward economic transformation.