A conference on the work of Shanghai chambers of commerce in other provinces and cities and vice versa, as well as a high-quality development event for off-site chamber of commerce services was held on April 29 in Changning. 

During the event, on-site inspections and themed activities were also carried out. Yang Zheng, head of the Shanghai government cooperation and exchange office, Zhang Wei, Party secretary of Changning, and Changning District Director Hou Jijun were present.

Yang pointed out at the theme event that cross-regional chambers of commerce are increasingly becoming an important force in Shanghai’s economic and social development, playing an increasingly important role in promoting regional cooperation and becoming an important promoter of investment promotion work. 

At present, there are a total of 247 chambers of commerce in Shanghai involving nearly 60,000 member enterprises. The chambers of commerce in Shanghai play a positive role in serving enterprise development, domestic cooperation, and implementing national strategies.

Zhang stated that Changning is full of vast opportunities. As the only downtown district within the Shanghai area of the “Greater Hongqiao,” Changning has deeply integrated into the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta region, actively serving the construction of Shanghai’s “Five Centers” ambition, and continuously improving the level of urban development. 

“Changning is full of innovative vitality, actively connecting with Shanghai to accelerate the construction of the “Silk Road E-commerce” cooperation pilot zone, and actively developing new formats and models such as cross-border e-commerce and live streaming e-commerce. 

“Changning is full of warmth and strives to create a first-class business environment,” Zhang said.

Hou comprehensively introduced Changning from five aspects: strategic opportunities, open characteristics, industrial layout, high-quality resources, and happiness and livability. 

He said that Changning has always been a distrct that respects creativity and is full of vitality, as well as a place that nurtures hope and witnesses miracles. 

“We warmly welcome entrepreneurs to come to Changning, choose Changning, root in Changning, share development opportunities, and jointly draw a beautiful blueprint,” Hou said.

Meanwhile, the Chinese and Foreign Chambers of Commerce Salon in Shanghai was unveiled on April 12 with the theme “ESG Capabilities of Enterprises and International Development.”

As one of the key activities of the Shanghai Private Economy High Quality Development Service Month, it attracted more than 180 senior executives, including business consuls from the consulates general in Shanghai, representatives of Chinese and foreign chambers of commerce, officials with associations of industry and commerce from other districts in the city, the chambers of commerce of the municipal federation of industry and commerce, chambers of commerce from other provinces and cities and the Yangtze River Delta City Chamber of Commerce Association.

The Action Plan for Accelerating the Improvement of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Capabilities of Foreign-related Enterprises in Shanghai (2024-2026) was released by the Shanghai Commission of Commerce in March.

To create an ESG ecosystem for foreign-related enterprises by 2026, the plan includes 12 key measures in three major actions: the enhancement of the ESG capacity of enterprises, the improvement of the ESG market efficiency, and the optimization of the ESG service system.

Edited by Shanghai Daily