The second Shanghai Cultural Trade Fair, features various pop-up stores at the Sinan Mansions. [Photo provided to International Services Shanghai]

Shanghai, a vibrant hub for cultural innovation, celebrated its thriving cultural trade sector with the grand unveiling of the Top 10 Cultural Trade Brands of 2023 at the prestigious Sinan Mansions in the city's Huangpu district on May 31. The event, which also marked the beginning of the second Shanghai Cultural Trade Fair, highlighted the city's cutting-edge cultural consumption trends as well as its expanding influence in the global cultural trade landscape.

During the ceremony, the Shanghai Top 10 Cultural Trade Brands of 2023 were announced, showcasing a range of cultural products and services that epitomize Shanghai's creative spirit. Among the standout brands were the book The Way of Urbanizing China, the Sino-French Yuyuan Garden Lantern Festival, the Esports Shanghai Masters, and the Shanghai International Artwork Trade Week.

Adding to the prestige of the occasion, the ceremony included the recognition of Shanghai's key cultural export enterprises and projects for 2023-2024. Notable recipients included industry giants like Shanghai Wings Media, Shanghai Giant Network Technology, and Shanghai News Publishing Development Company. They were lauded for their significant contributions to the cultural trade sector.

In a bid to foster cultural exchange and collaboration, institutions such as the Fudan Institute of Belt and Road & Global Governance, the National Language Services Center (Shanghai Venture), China National Publications Import & Export Shanghai Co., Ltd., China Literature, and Shanghai Feishu Shennuo Digital Technology Group jointly launched the "Silk Road Culture" cooperation and exchange plan, which aims to promote cultural diversity and mutual understanding.

The event also culminated in the inauguration of the second Shanghai Cultural Trade Fair, a three-day extravaganza where leading cultural trade companies like Show Life, miHoYo, Jiushi Sports, and Duoyunxuan showcased their offerings at pop-up stores within Sinan Mansions. This immersive experience provided residents with a firsthand glimpse into the latest trends in cultural consumption.

Since 2021, the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce has been at the forefront of recognizing top cultural trade brands, with a vision to cultivate projects and brands that embody both Shanghai's unique characteristics and universal appeal. Wang Yayuan, deputy director of the Shanghai State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, emphasized the importance of promoting Eastern charm and traditional cultural values on a global stage, envisioning a "Chinese wave" that resonates with audiences worldwide.

Wang encouraged cultural enterprises to unite in championing Shanghai's cultural trade endeavors, urging them to collaborate in sharing China's rich narratives and Shanghai's brilliance with the global community.