By Li Hongmei

China will actively prioritize service sectors in Shanghai's pilot free trade zone as it seeks to rebalance the industrial structure in the zone.

"International trade, financial services, shipping services, professional services and high-end manufacturing will be the priorities in developing the zone further," Dai Haibo, deputy director of the zone's administrative committee, told a forum yesterday.

Dai said an industrial plan for the zone will be released next year, in which the role of service-oriented businesses will be boosted.

Ahead of the official inauguration of the zone on September 29, the blueprint released by the central government outlined 23 policies to further open up the service sectors there.

Dai said 19 of the measures will be launched within the year, while the remaining four policies covering global transport, international ship management, restricted-license banks and legal services are pending the adjustment of relevant regulations and laws.

Separately, the Shanghai International Commodity Auction Co said a 50,000-square-meter industrial property in the zone's Waigaoqiao area will be auctioned in January, the first real-estate auction. The property is worth more than 400 million yuan (US$65.9 million).