April 15 - Chen Jining, Party secretary of Shanghai, met with a delegation headed by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

Chen Jining (right), Party secretary of Shanghai, shakes hands with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, on April 15. [Photo/WeChat account: shanghaifabu]

Chen emphasized the China-Germany comprehensive strategic partnership, which marks its 10th anniversary this year, and expressed his hope for expanded local cooperation and humanistic exchanges between the two nations, building upon the Shanghai-Hamburg sisterhood relationship. He welcomed more German companies to seize opportunities arising from Shanghai's accelerated industrial transformation, consumer upgrading, and technological innovation, encouraging them to invest in the city and explore its market.

Impressed by Shanghai's economic development and openness, Scholz expressed his hope that his visit would advance economic and trade exchanges between Germany and China, and facilitate collaborative efforts to address global challenges in the realms of climate change and green transformation. He also voiced his support for an increased presence of German companies in Shanghai, with the aim of bolstering bilateral practical cooperation in technological innovation and green initiatives, ultimately achieving mutually beneficial development.

April 15 - Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng met with Franziska Brantner, parliamentary state secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action of Germany, and representatives of the German business community.

Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng meets with the German delegation led by Franziska Brantner, parliamentary state secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action of Germany, on April 15. [Photo/WeChat account: shanghaifabu]

Gong extended a warm welcome to the German delegation, underscoring Shanghai's pivotal role as a hub for the international expansion of German companies. He expressed optimism for increased trade and investment between Shanghai and Germany, emphasized the necessity for expanded industrial cooperation, and proposed the establishment of a green, low-carbon supply chain. He also encouraged more German companies to leverage the China International Import Expo to access China's growing market.

Brantner and other delegation members commended the inspiring development of Shanghai, highlighting its pioneering role in multiple areas within the nation and its increased investment appeal due to its openness and improved business environment. They conveyed their readiness to boost investment in Shanghai and deepen collaboration in green technology and artificial intelligence.

April 16 - Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng met with Lim Chow Kiat, CEO of the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation.

Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng (right) meets with GIC CEO Lim Chow Kiat on April 16. [Photo/WeChat account: shanghaifabu]

Gong stressed that as China's largest economic hub, Shanghai remains one of the most favored investment destinations for foreign businesses and is also one of the preferred global locations for multinational companies to establish their industrial chains. He warmly welcomed GIC's extensive participation in Shanghai's modern industrial system construction and urban renewal, thereby contributing to the city's economic development while fostering the company's own growth. He pledged that the government will persist in enhancing its business environment to facilitate robust and inclusive development for enterprises across the spectrum.

Lim emphasized that the 20-year investment tenure of GIC in Shanghai has yielded favorable returns. He also highlighted the highly appealing asset valuations in China and Asia, pointing to significant growth potential across diverse sectors, including consumption, in the region. The CEO expressed a strong desire for continuous and in-depth discussions with the Shanghai government to pursue further collaborative opportunities with local enterprises.

April 18 - Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng met with a delegation led by New Zealand's Minister for Trade and Agriculture Todd McClay.

Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng (right) meets with New Zealand's Minister for Trade and Agriculture Todd McClay on April 18. [Photo/WeChat account: shanghaifabu]

Gong emphasized that this year commemorates the 10th anniversary of the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership between China and New Zealand. He expressed optimism about expanding trade and economic exchanges between Shanghai and New Zealand, citing the substantial potential for bilateral collaboration stemming from the strong complementarity in trade between the two regions. He extended a warm welcome to New Zealand enterprises, encouraging them to seize opportunities and utilize the CIIE to bring high-quality goods and services to Shanghai.

McClay noted that many New Zealanders choose Shanghai as their initial destination when visiting China. With fully resumed flights between Auckland and Shanghai, he expressed confidence in deepening bilateral economic and trade relations.

April 19 - Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng met with Slovenian Deputy Prime Minister Tanja Fajon.

Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng (right) met with Slovenian Deputy Prime Minister Tanja Fajon on April 19.[Photo/WeChat account: shanghaifabu]

Gong underscored Slovenia's friendship with China within the European Union and highlighted Shanghai's role as a key link in the two nations' exchanges. He expressed his aspirations to enhance cooperation between Shanghai and Slovenia in the areas of trade, education, and technology, utilizing platforms such as the CIIE. He also expressed his hope that both sides would explore the potential for cooperation in the cultural and tourism sectors, encouraging residents from the two regions to discover each other's attractions, thereby deepening mutual understanding and friendship.

Fajon welcomed Chinese enterprises based in Shanghai and beyond to invest in Slovenia, using it as a base to expand into the European market. She also extended an invitation to Shanghai tourists to experience Slovenia's unique charm, delicious cuisine, and fine wines.

April 20 - Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng met with a delegation headed by San Francisco Mayor London Breed.

Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng (right) shakes hands with San Francisco Mayor London Breed on April 20. [Photo/WeChat account: shanghaifabu]

Gong emphasized that San Francisco is Shanghai's first friendship city in the United States, underscoring the fruitful exchanges between the two cities since the establishment of friendly relations in 1980. Noting that San Francisco is home to renowned universities, research institutions, and technology companies, leading the way in fields such as artificial intelligence and life sciences, the mayor expressed his hope to promote cooperation and exchanges between the universities and research institutions in both cities. He added that with San Francisco hosting the largest Chinese community in the US and Shanghai being the city with the highest concentration of Americans in China, there is a mutual desire to facilitate exchanges, especially among young people, to strengthen the friendship between the two cities and even the two countries.

Breed pointed out that San Francisco and Shanghai both share a rich history and common values. She eagerly anticipates enhancing exchanges with Shanghai in areas such as electric vehicles, AI and medical technology, smart urban management, and low-carbon development.

April 21 - Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng held a meeting with Mohammed Ben Sulayem, president of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile.

Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng shakes hands with FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem on April 21. [Photo/WeChat account: shanghaifabu]

Gong expressed gratitude to the FIA for its continuous support in advancing motorsports in Shanghai and congratulated the organization on successfully hosting the Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix. He highlighted Shanghai residents' passion for sports, particularly motorsports, and mentioned Zhou Guanyu, the first Chinese F1 driver from Shanghai. Gong also expressed his hope for increased professional guidance and support from the FIA to attract more top international motorsport events to Shanghai.

Sulayem said that he believes in China's huge motorsports potential and looks forward to the debut of the first Chinese F1 team. He continued by stating that the FIA plans to establish long-term cooperation with Shanghai and introduce a greater number of international competitions and events as part of its efforts to support the development of motorsport in China. He added that the FIA welcomes more Chinese suppliers based in Shanghai and beyond to participate in F1 events, thereby contributing to the increased sustainability and widespread appeal of motorsport.