Jan 19 to 20 – Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng visited Canton Basel-Stadt in Switzerland, aiming to further enhance practical cooperation in trade, investment, biomedicine, technological innovation and people-to-people exchanges.
Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng (left) meets with Conradin Cramer, president of the cantonal government of Basel-Stadt in Switzerland in January 2025. [Photo/WeChat account: shanghaifabu]
Shanghai and Canton Basel-Stadt, recognized as one of the world’s most important life science centers, established a friendship city relationship in 2007.
During a meeting with Conradin Cramer, head of the cantonal government, Gong encouraged Swiss companies to take full advantage of China’s visa-free policy to explore the Chinese market and seek cooperation opportunities.
While meeting with Severin Schwan, chairman of Roche Group, and Joerg Reinhardt, chairman of Novartis AG, Gong emphasized the city’s ambition to develop a world-class industrial cluster for biomedicine and called for active participation from renowned global medical and health companies.
Cramer, Schwan, and Reinhardt all praised Shanghai’s achievements and expressed optimism about further deepening practical cooperation with the city.
Jan 21 – Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng attended the World Economic Forum 2025 annual meeting at Davos in Switzerland and the “Shanghai Night” event.
Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng delivers a speech at the “Shanghai Night” event on Jan 21 local time. [Photo/WeChat account: shanghaifabu]
During the forum, Gong attended several thematic sessions and met with the Lord Mayor of the City of London, along with executives from multinational companies such as media company Condé Nast and chemical firm Syensqo.
Their discussions focused on the global economy, Shanghai’s economic landscape, and efforts to build a world-class business environment. Executives from major multinationals expressed their commitment to deepening their presence in Shanghai, increasing investment, and strengthening cooperation with the city.
In his speech at the “Shanghai Night” event, Gong said that Shanghai, as an attractive destination for foreign investment, is dedicated to fostering stable economic growth, cultivating new quality productive forces, deepening reform and opening-up, and creating a world-class business environment.
Jan 22 to 25 – Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng visited Greece to strengthen cooperation in trade, ports and shipping between Shanghai and Greece. As a result of the visit, Shanghai and Athens, the capital of Greece, established a friendship city relationship.
Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng (left) shakes hands with Athens Mayor Haris Doukas in January 2025. [Photo/WeChat account: shanghaifabu]
During his trip, Gong met with several Greek government officials, including Attica Governor Nikos Hardalias, Athens Mayor Haris Doukas and Piraeus Mayor Yiannis Moralis. He also attended a dialogue between the Shanghai government and Hellenic business leaders.
Gong and Hardalias signed a letter of intent to establish a strategic partnership between Shanghai and the Attica region, which encompasses both Athens and Piraeus.
Gong and Doukas signed an agreement to formally recognize Athens as a friendship city of Shanghai. Gong expressed his desire to further strengthen practical cooperation and enhance the well-being of the people in both cities.
During the Dialogue Between Shanghai Municipal Government and Hellenic Business Leaders, Gong welcomed Greek businesses to expand their investment in Shanghai and expressed a desire to enhance mutual learning and collaboration with Greece.
,https://english.shanghai.gov.cn/en-Latest-WhatsNew/20250127/dea353b970184cff834e9cda694efcc2.html