Shen Haixiong (left), president of CMG, Chen Jining (middle), secretary of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee, and Wang Wentao (right), Minister of Commerce, at the launch event for the 2024 International Consumption Season, the 5th Shanghai Shopping Festival, and the International Consumption Center City Forum on April 27. [Photo/WeChat account: shanghaifabu]

Shanghai's Grand Halls in the North Bund set the stage for a momentous occasion as the 2024 International Consumption Season, the fifth Shanghai Shopping Festival, and the International Consumption Center City Forum were launched on April 27, marking a significant step in the city's commitment to fostering a vibrant and diverse consumption landscape.

Under the banner of the "Consumption Promotion Year" initiative, the 2024 International Consumption Season will introduce new scenes, including fashion, health, and sports consumption, guiding various regions to organize a wide array of integrated activities.

The International Consumption Center City Forum presided over by Vice-Minister of Commerce Sheng Qiuping featured enlightening speeches from city officials and international guests, unveiling new reports on China's consumption market development and the construction of international consumption city centers.

Commerce Minister Wang Wentao underscored the positive achievements in cultivating international consumer city centers, emphasizing improved consumption leadership and international influence.

Highlighting the growth in total retail sales of consumer goods in Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou in Guangdong province, Tianjin, and Chongqing, which collectively increased by 8.4 percent year-on-year in 2023, surpassing the national growth rate by 1.2 percentage points, Wang stressed the need for these cities to lead by example, drive consumption recovery, promote innovation, and enhance people's well-being through trade-in initiatives and expanded service consumption.

The launch event showcased vibrant consumption scenes and experiences from cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Tianjin, Guangzhou, and Chongqing, with representatives from domestic and foreign enterprises announcing promotional activities contributing to Shanghai's development as an international consumption center.

The 5th Shanghai Shopping Festival, running until the end of June, will offer over 1,000 distinctive activities focusing on various aspects of consumption, providing an enriching experience for residents and visitors alike.

Following this, the Shanghai Summer International Consumption Season, a new brand for the city's summer consumption promotional activities, will run from the first weekend in July to the second weekend in October, featuring high-quality concerts, music festivals, art performances, major art exhibitions, and significant sports events, further enhancing Shanghai's allure as a global consumption hub.

Source: "shanghaifabu" WeChat account