THE Pudong New Area government said yesterday that the district will develop the inspection, testing and certification industry, which is "an indispensable function" that Shanghai needs to turn itself into a global trading and innovation hub.

"The industry is an indispensable function for Shanghai to build an international trading center, and it also provides important technical support for the city's goal to construct a world innovation hub," Jian Danian, deputy head of Pudong, said at a meeting yesterday.

The area's government will build clusters of inspection, testing and certification companies in Zhangjiang, Jinqiao, Lingang and Chuansha.