Xi, together with the local Shanghai Communist Party chief Han Zheng and Mayor Yang Xiong, visited several locations and greeted local staff, according to a source who accompanied Xi. The Hong Kong-style economic zone was launched last October.

The zone is considered an integral part of China's economic and foreign exchange reform under Xi's leadership.

The Shanghai free-trade zone had been widely considered a policy initiative driven by Premier Li Keqiang. But Li failed to attend the launch ceremony of the economic zone, instead sending ministerial-level officials to Shanghai in his place.