The Government-Enterprise-Chamber of Commerce Dialogue was held in Shanghai on May 30 as part of the 2025 Shanghai International Friendship Cities Cooperation Forum.

"World-class enterprises are the driving force behind a city's vitality, and world-class cities thrive on strong collaboration with their friendship cities," said Shou Ziqi, vice-chairman of the Shanghai Municipal Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and chairman of the Shanghai Federation of Industry and Commerce.

Shou emphasized that a tripartite dialogue mechanism — engaging governments, enterprises, and chambers of commerce across friendship cities — could unlock greater potential for cooperation and inject new momentum into their sustainable development.

This year's dialogue marked the first formal participation of international chambers of commerce, broadening the scope of collaboration.

Co-organized by the Shanghai Federation of Industry and Commerce and the Foreign Affairs Office of the Shanghai Municipal People's Government, the event brought together more than 150 participants.

Attendees included government officials from international friendship cities, representatives from Chinese and foreign enterprises and chambers of commerce, and delegates from over 30 Shanghai-based State-owned and private enterprises.

Held under the theme "Pursuit of Innovation and Win-Win Cooperation", the dialogue focused on key topics such as corporate transformation for green and low-carbon development, empowering youth entrepreneurship to drive innovation, and fostering mutually beneficial cooperation among chambers of commerce.

Wu Zhengping, deputy director of the China International Import Expo Bureau, also addressed the dialogue, promoting the upcoming edition of the annual expo held each November in Shanghai.

He extended an invitation to enterprises from friendship cities to leverage the CIIE as a platform to access China's development opportunities.

The dialogue serves as a key component of the Shanghai International Friendship Cities Cooperation Forum, aiming to provide a platform for open communication and exchange among governments, businesses, and chambers of commerce from Shanghai's international friendship cities.

Last year, the Shanghai Federation of Industry and Commerce established the Network of Cooperation for Chambers of Commerce of Shanghai's International Friendship Cities, paving the way for their formal involvement in this year's dialogue.

Source: Foreign Affairs Office of Shanghai Municipal People's Government