Floral maze offers urban escape along Suzhou Creek

Located next to the waterfront footpath of East China University of Political Science and Law (ECUPL), the themed flower installation “Empty Harbor • Natural Wonderland” has become a highlight of the Changning sub venue of the Shanghai International Flower Show.

Designed and constructed by Changning Gardening-Landscaping Construction Co Ltd, the installation makes use of a 50 square meter waterfront wooden platform and a 250 square meter “Law Theater” on the ECUPL campus. Guided by the design concept — “The pier does not ferry people, only emotions” — the space is intended as an urban healing garden.

The flower bed features blue purple hydrangeas as its dominant tone, complemented by a variety of other plants. Flower boxes are arranged to form a natural maze, allowing citizens to relax and connect with nature amid the blossoms along the waterfront.

In one corner of the installation, a display showcases common seasonal plant specimens from Shanghai, offering visitors an up close look at plant morphology. This adds an educational dimension to the flower exhibition and deepens the connection between people and nature.

On the opening day of the flower show, Xu Liheng, quality supervision department manager of the Changning gardening-landscaping company and a recognized “Changning Artisan,” hosted a lively science popularization session on site. He explained plant and specimen knowledge in an accessible way and demonstrated the specimen making process.

Global M&A Summit focuses on activating industrial mergers

The 13th Global Investment and M&A Summit, one of China’s highest profile and longest standing events in the M&A field, took place on April 27 in the Shanghai Hongqiao Business District.

Under the theme “Activating Industrial M&A,” the summit gathered more than 500 senior representatives from listed companies, industrial groups, M&A funds, local investment platforms, and financial service institutions.

Kong Fu’an, executive deputy director of the Administrative Committee of the Hongqiao International Central Business District, promoted the district’s advantages. He noted that the Hongqiao M&A Cluster, which focuses on an integrated M&A service platform and features cross border M&A as a distinctive strength, has facilitated a total transaction volume of approximately 20 billion yuan (US$2.93 billion) since the beginning of 2025. 

During the 15th Five Year Plan period (2026-2030), Hongqiao will accelerate the development of a manufacturing R&D cluster for the Yangtze River Delta region and serve as the first stop for Delta based companies going global, aiming to become a new hub for M&A factor allocation and a pioneer in cross border M&A, Kong said.

Changning District Party Secretary Zhang Wei stated that Changning is rapidly building its functional area within the Hongqiao M&A Cluster, integrating investment and M&A into its key industrial system. The district has already gathered over 700 related enterprises and facilitated the first batch of 100-million yuan M&A projects and the first M&A private fund. 

In the future, Changning will continue to focus on project M&A and industrial funds, refining its functional layout that features tech finance in the east, stable asset management in the central area, and cross border M&A in the west.

On site, more than 40 listed companies, industrial groups, top M&A funds, and financial service institutions joined the Hongqiao Investment and M&A Alliance. The alliance will serve as a regular exchange and matchmaking platform, jointly building an “industry + capital + government + service” M&A ecosystem.

Changning Reading & Coffee Culture Week blends culture and urban exploration

The 2026 Changning District Reading & Coffee Culture Week, held at Hongqiao Park from April 23 to 26, launched a series of innovative initiatives, including the “Xiao Sheng Looks at Changning” short videos and the “Three Cups and Two Glasses” city walking route. Three vitality enhancement plans — “Architecture to Read,” “Bookishness to Savor,” and “Art to Immerse In” — were also unveiled.

Follow up activities such as a coffee micro tour, a coffee theater festival, and Taobao Flash Sale subsidies will continue in May, further extending the event’s impact.

The event featured two markets. The main market of the Reading & Coffee Culture Week hosted 48 stalls covering six sectors including books, tea and coffee, cultural products, and hotels. On site experiences included robot interaction, a green concert, and NFC mini vinyl check in. Three limited edition district signature coffee blends were offered: “Encountering Hudec,” “Long Scroll of Calligraphy,” and “Dopamine Palette.”

The “Best Hongqiao” Reading Carnival market had 15 stalls featuring publishers, cultural creative products, tea beverages, pet supplies, Puyu Bookstore, and the district copyright office.

Preliminary statistics show that the two markets generated over 130,000 yuan (US$19,062) in total revenue, gained more than 7,000 new followers, and attracted approximately 25,000 visitors.

The event also introduced a “Coffee + Micro Tour” experience that explores Changning from three perspectives – cycling, bus touring, and walking – linking the city’s scenery with coffee flavors. Immersive coffee concerts and on demand coffee music sessions blended folk songs with coffee aromas.

During the Reading Week, Changning District continued to hold the second “I Am a Reader” thousand person lecture, along with cultural flash mobs, thematic lectures, training sessions, art appreciation experiences, and reading clubs – 28 events in total, with 2,265 participants.

Changning unveils two-month shopping extravaganza 

Under the theme “Fashionable Life • Charming Changning,” the 2026 Changning District Double Five Shopping Festival will kick off on May 8 and run for two months.

In mid May, the 2026 Made in Shanghai Good Products Exchange will take place at Columbia Circle, unveiling the 2026 “Shanghai Fashion Originals” innovative product catalog.

In early June, the 2026 Shanghai Fashion Customization Week will be held at M+ Xingfuli for one week, inviting domestic and international consumers to experience personalized customization services in categories such as “light luxury,” “trendy Chinese brands,” and “intangible cultural heritage.”

In June, the 2026 “Love Shopping in Changning” Guochao consumption vouchers will be distributed across various business districts and special commercial streets.

From May to June, Changning will feature a rich lineup of business district activities. 

The Changning sub venue of the Shanghai International Flower Show will create landmark floral landscapes at Livat Shanghai, The Place, and Brilliance West Shopping Mall. The 2026 Happiness Economy Customized Life Event will offer customized services for newlyweds. Crystal Bridge will launch nighttime themed activities, including “coffee by day, wine by night,” outdoor screenings, and live performances, establishing a nighttime consumption destination.

The following are some key highlights:

Starbucks Bearista Town

Location: Changning Raffles City

Time: April – May

Starbucks’ first ever “Bearista Town” lands on the outdoor lawn of Changning Raffles City, creating an immersive urban block experience blending coffee, trendy play, and lifestyle. The museum features over 500 classic Bearista models and limited edition pieces spanning 29 years. The largest Starbucks merchandise store in the country makes its debut with over 60 limited edition items.

Neighbor Weekend Market

Location: Archwalk Mall 

Time: April – October

Neighbor Market focuses on a multi scene blend of products, experiences, and warm interactions, extending commercial space into a public living room connecting neighbors, families, and the community. Positioned as an urban healing life hub, the market operates regularly each month, aiming to provide a sustainable and warm weekend lifestyle for urban residents.

Cloud Nine Double Five Shopping Festival Series

Location: Cloud Nine Shopping Center

Time: May

Cloud Nine Shopping Center launches Double Five consumption benefits covering all sectors. The sixth New Energy Vehicle Festival will feature the world’s first open access table tennis robot experience. A “Night Market Stage” will offer citizens a relaxing summer evening experience full of local energy.

Zhongshan Park sees surge in visitors on May Day

On the first day of the May Day holiday, Zhongshan Park, a key venue of the Shanghai International Flower Show, witnessed a sharp rise in popularity. As of 5pm, the park recorded over 33,000 visitors, a year on year increase of more than 50 percent.

Inside the park, four themed interest zones – “Momo Mood,” “Old Money Romance,” “Perceiving-Type Rambling,” and “Floral Creation” – each offered a unique atmosphere, with exquisite floral installations and landscape designs complementing one another.

A major highlight of this year’s flower show is the “Pokémon Flower Path Stroll.” A 10 meter tall inflatable Snorlax lies lazily in the center of a flower sea, looking endearingly cute. On the surface of Chen’s Family Pond, sculptures of Gyarados and Magikarp burst out of the water, accompanied by various Pokémon themed installations, offering a delightful surprise at every turn.

During the festival, the park’s Pokémon displays echo those at the Cloud Nine Shopping Center just across the road, creating a seamless “park-to-shopping district” immersive experience.

At The Place, the original IP “Doudou” made a cute debut, complementing both a rose garden and a flower market.

Livat Shanghai brought spring’s greenery indoors, while several art exhibitions opened simultaneously.

Brilliance West Shopping Mall greeted visitors with a “Hundred Flowers Festival,” featuring floral decorations, a flower spirit parade, and a flower market, delivering a joyful one stop experience.

Archwalk Mall created a spring garden with markets, handicraft activities, and pet friendly events.

The Changning sub venue of the 2026 Shanghai International Flower Show opened at Zhongshan Park on April 24. As of April 30, the park had received a total of 241,198 visitors, with average daily foot traffic up 15.59 percent year on year. 

Markets and various events within the park directly drove over 2 million yuan (US$293,686) in consumption, exploring a new pathway for value realization in public green spaces. Meanwhile, as of April 30, offline consumption in the core Zhongshan Park business district exceeded 200 million yuan.