Diamond-inspired towers light up Changning skyline

The newly illuminated Crystal Bridge complex has redefined the skyline of the Tianshan-Gubei business district with five shimmering "diamond" towers, marking the arrival of a new architectural icon in Changning District.

The development adopts an unconventional clustered arrangement that gives the buildings an open, flowing character. Their faceted glass curtain walls draw inspiration from diamond cuts, with each angle designed to catch and reflect light, living up to the name "Crystal." 

By day, the façade gleams in the sunlight like rare gems; after dark, embedded LED lighting systems bring the structures to life with dynamic, dreamlike displays, extending the three-dimensional aesthetic of "diamond cutting" into the night sky.

More than just a building complex, Crystal Bridge is designed as an integrated ecosystem that breaks down boundaries. Sky bridges thread like the Galaxy between the five Grade-A office towers, seamlessly connecting them and enclosing a "garden in the sky" that allows natural light to filter into underground areas, creating striking plays of light and shadow across themed spaces.

Below ground, the dazzling "Crystal Halo" light show animates the sunken commercial plaza and open-air theater, celebrating the site’s multi-leveled, multi-functional design. Here, the lines between work and social life, indoors and outdoors, above and below ground are intentionally blurred, merging office, retail, and leisure into one cohesive experience.

Changning hosts Europe-focused roundtable to support businesses going global

The sixth "Best Hongqiao" International Business Roundtable, dedicated to European market expansion, was held in Changning District on October 20, bringing together companies and government departments to discuss opportunities, challenges, and ESG-driven pathways for going global.

Seven enterprises, including Ingka Centres (China) Management Co Ltd, DNV (China) Co Ltd, and King & Wood Mallesons, participated in the session. They shared their experiences and plans related to overseas expansion and ESG implementation, while raising specific requests and suggestions. Representatives from relevant government bodies, such as Shanghai Exhibition Center Customs, the District Talent Bureau, the Investment Promotion Office, and the Tax Bureau, provided on-site responses.

Liu Ping, district director of Changning, expressed gratitude to the business representatives for their lasting contributions to the district’s economic and social development. He said that Changning, uniquely positioned as the only central urban area of Shanghai within the Hongqiao International Open Hub, boasts distinct advantages from its "Best Hongqiao" location and open policies.  

As European markets offer promising potential, Changning will further refine its support services, strengthen the functions of the Integrated Service Platform for Enterprises Going Global, advance the development of the Hongqiao Enterprise Overseas Headquarters Cluster, and build a comprehensive support system to help more companies expand abroad from Changning, Liu said.

Changning to pilot new FTZ policies with digital focus

Changning District has been incorporated into the second group of Linkage Innovation Zones under the Shanghai Pilot Free Trade Zone. Recently, the Changning District Development and Reform Commission provided a detailed policy interpretation of this new status.

Strategically located at the "Y"-shaped intersection of the Shanghai-Nanjing and Shanghai-Hangzhou development axes and adjacent to the Hongqiao Comprehensive Transportation Hub, Changning serves as a "bridgehead" connecting Shanghai with the Yangtze River Delta and a key hub for domestic and international linkages.

The newly released “Construction Plan for the Second Batch of Shanghai Pilot Free Trade Zone Linkage Innovation Zones” includes two key lists. The first is a "Replication and Promotion List" comprising 57 measures applicable to all linkage zones, covering six major areas: investment, trade, finance, data, technology innovation, and talent. The second is an "Independent Reform List" with 29 measures designed to support districts in developing specialized industries based on local conditions.

The Changning Linkage Innovation Zone will focus on encouraging leading enterprises to advance digitalization in aviation and trade, build trusted data spaces, and foster data innovation laboratories. It will also explore the establishment of cross-border data service stations to guide companies in data classification, grading, and network data security risk assessments. Additional priorities include facilitating the transformation of breakthrough scientific achievements in electronic materials, nurturing technology firms, promoting the development of the Shanghai Silicon Alley high-quality incubator, enhancing construction of the national online market regulation and service demonstration zone, creating a full-process smart supervision model for the live-streaming economy, and setting up monitoring and evaluation sub-centers for live streaming within key enterprises.

In the next phase, Changning will strengthen the replication of successful policies, enhance coordinated development, and actively deepen reforms to broaden the application scenarios of Pilot Free Trade Zone policies, ultimately forming a batch of innovative achievements with Changning characteristics and further amplifying the radiating effect of the Pilot Free Trade Zone.

2025 China-Italy Business Exchange held in Changning to boost cross-border cooperation

To deepen collaboration between Chinese and Italian enterprises and support Changning-based companies in global expansion, the 2025 China-Italy Business Exchange was held at WYSH on October 25.

Wang Luoqing, president of the Changning Overseas Friendship Association, welcomed entrepreneurs from Italy and the local overseas Chinese community, introducing Changning’s strategic location, high degree of internationalization, key industrial features, and support services for companies going global. He encouraged Italian businesses to actively connect with Changning’s industrial base and market resources to further expand cooperation, while expressing hope that overseas Chinese in Italy and Italian friends would continue to serve as a bridge promoting cultural exchange and mutual understanding between the two countries.

During the event, Jin Hui, president of the Italy Chapter of the EU Chamber of Commerce in China and chairman of the Soong Ching Ling Foundation Italy, analyzed opportunities in China-Italy economic and trade cooperation and introduced the participating Italian company representatives. Corsini, vice president of the China Italy Chamber of Commerce, elaborated on the broad prospects for bilateral collaboration, while Prior, a member of the Italian business delegation, shared the technological strengths, innovative concepts, and willingness for cooperation with China among Italian companies.

During the key enterprise promotion session, representatives from Italian companies in shipping, catering, tourism, and other sectors, as well as local Changning enterprises including Shanghai Carrying International Forwarding Co Ltd, iFlytek (Shanghai) Technology Co Ltd, and Shanghai Jiujian Strengthening Technology Co Ltd, presented their advanced technologies, core services, and collaboration visions.

In the free networking session, more than 30 Chinese and Italian companies from sectors such as film production, software development, food processing, tourism services, medical devices, fashion, environmental remediation, and fine dining engaged in in-depth exchanges, with some reaching preliminary cooperation intentions on the spot.

Hongqiao Grassland Festival creates borderless music experience

The 2025 Hongqiao Grassland Music Festival opened on October 25 at Hongqiao New Town Central Park, offering residents and visitors an immersive experience combining music, nature, and trendsetting culture.

The two-day weekend event highlighted fashionable and contemporary elements. On the first day, Macy Schmidt, founder of the Broadway Ladies Orchestra, led the Pink Ladies Symphony in a vibrant "pink feast" of music. The audience enjoyed live orchestral performances of the “Barbie” film soundtrack while watching key movie clips on a large screen.

Day two featured a crossover concert by Croatian tourism ambassador and cellist Ana Rucner, together with percussionist Marko Dufniak, presenting a dynamic blend of cello and drum rhythms.

The festival also featured a custom pink-themed "Bow Bazaar," offering food, drinks, and entertainment across seven beautifully designed bow-decorated areas. In the lounge zone, visitors relaxed on beanbags or their own picnic mats, enjoying the cool autumn weather while listening to music surrounded by greenery. This "borderless, all-participatory" spatial design not only brought the public closer to the arts but also turned Changning’s urban public space into an inclusive "cultural living room."

In addition, the festival partnered with over 30 local businesses to offer "ticket stub privileges," extending benefits to nearby merchants. This "festival + local business" model provided one-stop convenience for attendees while channeling visitor flow toward surrounding commercial areas and attractions, effectively turning musical appeal into real consumption.

Organized by East Hongqiao Cultural Developoment Co Ltd, a subsidiary of Shanghai Garment Group, the festival also served as a "new stage" for the transformation of the state-owned company. Hosting a music festival represents one of the group’s strategic steps in shifting from traditional garment manufacturing toward becoming a trendsetting lifestyle leader.