Changning District is an important window for Shanghai to open to the outside world. Hongqiao Economic and Technological Development Zone is one of the three major economic and technological development zones in Shanghai approved by the State Council 1986, and it is also the only development zone featuring the development of the tertiary industry in China. Hongqiao Development Zone and its surrounding areas are one of the most concentrated areas of foreign-related commercial buildings in Shanghai, and the Municipal Foreign Economic Commission, the Municipal Foreign Investment Commission and the Shanghai Multinational Procurement Promotion Center are also located in this area. With the further deepening of opening up, the leading function of Hongqiao's foreign-related economic and trade business has been continuously expanded, and Changning District's internal and external radiation function has also been continuously enhanced, and it has increasingly become an important service functional area to promote the coordinated development of Shanghai and the Yangtze River Delta.

Changning District has a good ecological and human settlement environment, and its comprehensive environmental quality ranks in the forefront of Shanghai's central city. New Hongqiao Central Garden, Huashan Green Space, Kaiqiao Green Space, Xinjing Park and other large-scale green spaces have been built. In 2002, the per capita public green space reached 5.2 square meters. Gubei New District is one of the largest high-standard foreign-related residential areas in Shanghai. There are more than 600 garden villas 1 around Hongqiao Road and Xijiao Hotel. One third of foreign consulates and 50% of diplomats' residences in Shanghai are located in Changning, which has become a place where foreigners live in Shanghai.

Changning District is well-developed in education and culture, with famous schools such as Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Management, Donghua University, East China University of Political Science and Law, Shanghai Institute of Foreign Trade, Shanghai University of Engineering Science, Shanghai Institute of Microsystems and Information Technology of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Silicate, Yan 'an Middle School, No.3 Middle School for Girls and Yaozhong International School. Hongqiao Road and Xinhua Road National Road are municipal landscape roads, and the cultural landscapes such as Shanghai Ballet School, Liu Haisu Art Museum, Broadcasting Building, Soong Ching Ling Cemetery, Shanghai National Orchestra and Shanghai Cinema are connected in a line, forming a unique cultural corridor.