Kong Fu'an, executive deputy director of the Shanghai Hongqiao International Central Business District Administrative Committee, extends an invitation to an international delegate. [Photo/jfdaily.com]
Mayors and representatives from 26 sister cities across 22 countries gathered in Shanghai for the Global Mayors Dialogue and the 2025 Shanghai International Friendship Cities Cooperation Forum on May 29.
They delved into Shanghai's business environment and future development plans, followed by discussions on green and low-carbon urban development and harnessing youth vitality to boost city innovation.
Ndeshihafela Larandja, mayor of Windhoek, Namibia, expressed admiration for Shanghai's green initiatives. She highlighted her city's aspiration to emulate Shanghai's approach, saying Whindoek has "portions of gardens in the city, but is not a 'city within a garden'," as Shanghai is.
Michele Rubirola, the first deputy mayor of Marseille, France, said that Europe hopes to play an important role in the global green transition and is working with cities in the Global South to pool knowledge, co-build solutions, and invest in the infrastructure of the future.
A recurring theme was that sustainable cities must be co-designed with the next generation. "We don't just ask youth to be the future. Instead, we invite them to build it with us now," said Victoria Woodards, mayor of Tacoma, Washington, in the United States.
Shanghai officials responded positively to the insights shared by international delegates. They pledged to enhance collaboration and mutual empowerment among friendship cities, aiming to make breakthroughs in trade, finance, education, health, culture, and technology.
He Dongbin, deputy director of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce, said that Shanghai boasts a world-class business environment and "will open its door wider".
Kong Fu'an, executive deputy director of the Shanghai Hongqiao International Central Business District Administrative Committee, described Shanghai's development environment with three Ps: "Possibilities, Predictability, and Pro-business Governance". He invited more enterprises from friendship cities to invest and thrive in the CBD, highlighting the district's rich concentration of scientific resources and talent.
The Hongqiao CBD, which is the geographical and economic center of the Yangtze River Delta region, has stressed the importance of green planning, green buildings and green operations from day one.
With a solar energy system, water-saving solutions and comprehensive roof greening, the core area of the CBD was designed with sustainability in mind. Its centralized energy supply system helps save 5,000 to 7,000 metric tons of coal annually.
