April 10 - Chen Jining, Party secretary of Shanghai, met with Vuong Dinh Hue, chairman of the National Assembly of Vietnam.

Chen Jining (R) meets with Vuong Dinh Hue, chairman of the National Assembly of Vietnam on April 10. [Photo/WeChat account: shanghaifabu]

Chen warmly welcomed Hue and his delegation to Shanghai. He emphasized the need to further bolster economic and trade ties and foster cultural exchanges, especially as this year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of friendship city relations between Shanghai and Ho Chi Minh City.

Hue highlighted the focus on deepening exchanges and mutual learning in high-level reform and opening-up, the development of free trade zones, and urban planning and governance, all aimed at achieving mutually beneficial growth and strengthening friendship.

April 10 - Chen Jining, Party secretary of Shanghai, met with a delegation led by Group Chairman Jose Vinals and CEO Bill Winters of Standard Chartered.

Chen Jining (R) shakes hands with Jose Vinals, group chairman of Standard Chartered, on April 10. [Photo/WeChat account: shanghaifabu]

Chen emphasized that the development of Shanghai as an international financial center hinges on the extensive involvement of both domestic and international financial institutions. The accelerating pace of urban digitalization, intelligence, and green transformation opens up broader opportunities for cooperation. Standard Chartered is encouraged to introduce new businesses related to wealth management and blockchain to Shanghai, with a focus on deepening practical collaboration in technology finance, green finance, and digital finance.

Vinals and Winters expressed their intent to develop supply chain finance, enhance wealth management services, and significantly contribute to fostering economic connectivity.

April 11 - Chen Jining, Party secretary of Shanghai, met with Alain Merieux, president of the Merieux Foundation.

Chen Jining (R) shakes hands with Alain Merieux, president of the Merieux Foundation, on April 11. [Photo/WeChat account: shanghaifabu]

Chen conveyed appreciation for the enduring support and dedication of the Merieux Foundation towards the advancement of Sino-French relations and China's healthcare industry. Highlighting biomedicine as one of Shanghai's three leading sectors, Chen expressed Shanghai's dedication to enhancing communication and collaboration with the Merieux Foundation, with a focus on fostering deeper cooperation and exchanges in the fields of life sciences, public health, and disease prevention.

Merieux said the foundation will further strengthen partnerships with Shanghai in the healthcare industry, facilitate cultural exchanges, and contribute to the ongoing enhancement of Sino-French relations.

April 11 – Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng met with Fabian Peter, governor of Lucerne, Switzerland.

Gong Zheng (R) shakes hands with Lucerne Governor Fabian Peter, on April 11. [Photo/WeChat account: shanghaifabu]

Gong emphasized that Switzerland was among the earliest Western countries to establish diplomatic ties with China and the cooperation between Shanghai and Lucerne has a rich historical foundation. He extended a warm welcome to Swiss and Lucerne-based companies, and encouraged them to leverage the China International Import Expo to introduce high-quality goods and services to the Chinese market and to embark on new ventures and enterprises in Shanghai.

Peter conveyed eagerness to further enhance collaboration with Shanghai, particularly in the domains of scientific and technological innovation, sustainable development, and tackling shared challenges such as climate change.

April 11 – Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng met with Yokohama Mayor Takeharu Yamanaka, signing a new exchange agreement.

Gong Zheng (R) signs a new exchange agreement with Yokohama Mayor Takeharu Yamanaka on April 11. [Photo/WeChat account: shanghaifabu]

Gong highlighted that Yokohama is Shanghai's first friendship city. As Japan's largest international trading port, Yokohama boasts a highly developed economy. Shanghai eagerly anticipates bolstering technological exchanges and deepening innovative cooperation in areas such as integrated circuits, artificial intelligence, and green, low-carbon initiatives. It is also expected to strengthen mutual learning and exchange in urban refinement and management and to promote tourism development between the two cities.

Yamanaka expressed profound appreciation for the enduring friendship between Yokohama and Shanghai and stressed the importance of promoting cultural and business exchanges. He also extended a warm invitation to Shanghai to participate in the upcoming World Horticultural Exhibition to be held in Yokohama in 2027.

April 12 – Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng met with Barry C. Melancon, CEO of the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants.

Gong Zheng (R) shakes hands with Barry C. Melancon, CEO of the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, on April 12. [Photo/WeChat account: shanghaifabu]

Gong emphasized Shanghai's ongoing commitment to optimizing the environment for professional services, aligning with international high-standard trade and economic rules such as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and Digital Economic Partnership Agreement. He expressed hope that the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants would bring more high-level business to Shanghai, assisting the city in enhancing the internationalization of its financial market, addressing deficiencies in high-end shipping services, and creating a high-level talent pool.

Melancon expressed his desire to uphold high-level cooperation with Shanghai and collaborate closely with federation members to play a distinctive role in the development of businesses and the financial sector, both in Shanghai and globally.

Source: "shanghaifabu" WeChat account