Hongqiao Cup brings together young players from around the world

The 3rd Hongqiao Cup Community Youth 3v3 Basketball Competition kicked off on May 16 at the Rucker Park in the New Hongqiao Central Garden. The event was jointly organized by the District Sports Bureau and Hongqiao Subdistrict.

The competition brought together more than 80 Chinese and international young players from various schools in and outside the district, representing several countries and regions including the United Kingdom, Tanzania, and others.

James Mahundi from Tanzania wiped sweat from his forehead with a bright smile on his face, saying that the game was really exciting. It not only helped him improve his basketball skills but also allowed him to spend time with friends who share the same passion for basketball.

Anton Jones from the UK said that it is a wonderful community activity that brings everyone together, fostering cultural exchange between China and other countries.

According to an officer of Hongqiao Subdistrict, as an international community, the subdistrict has always been committed to building platforms for exchanges and integration between Chinese and foreign residents. The basketball competition is not only meant to encourage young people to participate in fitness activities but also to use basketball as a bridge to enhance understanding and friendship between Chinese and international youths, while strengthening the sense of cohesion and belonging within the international community.

Australian off road parts giant ARB Group establishes China company in Changning

ARB Group, a globally recognized manufacturer of off road vehicle parts, established its China company in Changning District on May 11.

Liu Ping, director of Changning District, said that in October last year, a district government delegation visited ARB’s headquarters in Australia and held in depth discussions with the company’s CEO on deepening cooperation and joint development. After seven months of continuous follow up and full service support, the first ARB entity in China was landed. 

He expressed the hope that ARB China would leverage its brand positioning and strengths in design, R&D, and sales to quickly integrate into the local market and truly become a multinational enterprise with a global footprint and deep local roots.

Changning is one of Shanghai’s most international and open districts, home to half of the city’s diplomatic residences, one third of consular offices in Shanghai, one quarter of international schools, one fifth of expatriates, and nearly 6,500 foreign invested companies.

Founded in 1975, ARB Group has always been driven by innovation and quality, building a full industry chain advantage covering R&D, design, manufacturing, and global distribution. It has created a range of globally renowned benchmark products, with a business network spanning five continents, 66 retail stores, and two core production bases.

Hidden wetland gem in Changning’s Outer Ring Greenway offers a summer escape

Deep inside the Changning Outer Ring Ecological Greenway lies a little known urban sanctuary – the Metasequoia Forest Wetland. 

Surrounded by dense woods, shimmering waters, nesting birds, and flower lined paths, this pristine summer landscape unfolds like a traditional Chinese painting, hidden away from the bustling city.

Right now, the scenery is at its best: irises stand gracefully by the water, Floribunda roses bloom brightly along the trails, and vast patches of white daisies add a touch of understated elegance. Egrets glide over the water, azure winged magpies dart through the trees, and long tailed shrikes sing softly among the branches. This urban wetland has become a thriving, vibrant natural habitat.

Visitors cycling from Guangshun Road N. can turn left after crossing Xianglong Bridge to enter this hidden paradise directly.

What is now a lively ecological oasis was once a low lying area of withered trees. After restoration, miniature ecosystems have quietly taken shape. The area’s ecological richness has grown to such an extent that five of the six frog species found in Shanghai now live and breed here, making it a vivid microcosm of urban biodiversity.

To provide a peaceful space for wildlife, the Metasequoia Forest Wetland closes promptly at 6pm every day.

East Hongqiao launches OPC super eco community for AI powered entrepreneurs

“Technology in Changning, scenarios across the globe.” This statement vividly captures the reality of Changning’s sci‑tech innovation landscape. In the second installment of our series on “Changning’s Incubator Development,” we visit the East Hongqiao International Youth Sci‑Tech Innovation Center, an OPC super‑eco community for the AI era.

As artificial intelligence reshapes global productivity, the “One‑Person Company” (OPC) is emerging as a “super individual” capable of achieving rapid productivity leaps with AI tools. Changning District has accurately seized this trend by launching its first OPC super‑eco community, the East Hongqiao International Youth Sci‑Tech Innovation Center. Operated by IGS, which has 15 years of incubation experience, the center provides full‑lifecycle support for talent innovation and entrepreneurship.

The center weaves “OPC thinking” into every detail: 5,800 square meters of operational space, more than 200 OPC workstations, and a five‑minute walk from the subway. Open shared office areas, multi‑size meeting rooms, 24‑hour air conditioning and fresh air systems, 960 underground parking spaces, and public OPC project displays together create a free and efficient entrepreneurial atmosphere. 

As the first professional sci‑tech incubator focusing on “going global + AI + OPC,” the center prioritizes three core industries: global expansion economy, life and health, and tech consumption, while also cultivating AI application innovation. To date, it has already secured agreements with more than 20 AI+OPC startup teams.

The core pain point for OPC entrepreneurs is the difficulty for small teams to handle various complex tasks. To address this, the center has launched the “365 days – Entrepreneurship Never Stops” service plan, offering a complete service system of “six professional supports + five free benefits.” The six professional supports cover technology R&D, industry matching, capital and financing, brand promotion, professional services, and intellectual property. At the same time, eligible talent can enjoy five free policies: six months of free workspace, free finance and tax services, free legal services, high‑speed broadband, and free talent apartments.

In the future, the East Hongqiao International Youth Sci‑Tech Innovation Center will continue to leverage its professional OPC operation advantages, collaborate with high‑quality institutions in Jiangsu and Zhejiang Province, to jointly build a cross‑regional OPC entrepreneurship network and strive to become a benchmark for AI‑driven OPC incubation in Shanghai and the wider Yangtze River Delta region.

Changning launches program to train next gen international business talent

The opening ceremony of the “Go Global Talent Program” (GGTP) was held at IBP Hongqiao Upper Town in Changning District on May 16. The program, initially designed to recruit just over 40 participants, attracted nearly 450 outstanding young applicants from nearly 50 countries and regions across five continents, far exceeding expectations.

After a rigorous selection process, more than 40 talented individuals were admitted. The cohort includes both Chinese youth and international youth from 25 countries and regions, forming a “mini‑United Nations” learning community.

The average age of applicants is around 26, with the majority falling into the prime career development range of 22 to 29 years old. Business development, strategy, marketing, and branding together account for over 80 percent of the participants’ focus areas. The program has also gathered talent in AI and technology, entrepreneurs, multilingual speakers, and young people with cross‑cultural growth experience.

As one of Shanghai’s most international and open districts, Changning has been actively building a headquarters cluster for enterprises going global and continuously improving its service system to support overseas expansion.

At the opening ceremony, the District Commerce Commission noted that many companies have products, technology, and the desire to expand overseas, yet face difficulties in recruiting international talent, slow training processes, and high integration costs. Meanwhile, many young talent possess a global vision and growth potential but lack access to real‑world business scenarios. GGTP was created to bridge this gap.

GGTP features a core model of “mixed Chinese‑foreign learning, real‑business practice, and cross‑cultural collaboration.” The program follows a four‑weekend format running from May to June. The first session kicked off with macro and trend modules to help participants identify key pain points in going global. Upcoming modules will cover going‑global trends, overseas markets, localization strategies, cross‑cultural communication, and brand storytelling. Through company visits, case studies, group work, and pitch presentations, participants will gain hands‑on experience in real business contexts, helping them understand and actively participate in the going‑global process.