The 2023 Shanghai Global Investment Promotion Conference was held at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Center on April 6, attracting experts and entrepreneurs from all over the world to share their views on business opportunities, cooperation and the blueprint for a better future.

Chen Jining, Party Secretary of Shanghai, delivered a speech during the event, and Gong Zheng, mayor and deputy Party secretary of Shanghai, announced the list of the city's global investment partners for this year.

Chen Jining, Party Secretary of Shanghai, delivers a speech at the 2023 Shanghai Global Investment Promotion Conference. [Photo/WeChat account: gh_01c6f7b4cf3d]

Chen said Shanghai is a vanguard of reform and opening-up, and shoulders the major mission of exploring the path toward modernization and accelerating high-quality development.

"We will seize opportunities brought by major open platforms, such as the China International Import Expo, and economic and trade agreements, like the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, attract more talented people to create a better innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem, improve public services, and provide a more efficient, safe and comfortable working and living environment for enterprises and talents," Chen said.

During the conference, 26 large-scale projects were signed with a total investment of 67.4 billion yuan ($9.79 billion). Since the beginning of this year, Shanghai has signed 353 major industrial projects with a total investment of 225.4 billion yuan.

Ten global scientists reached agreements with enterprises and universities in Shanghai, and a number of projects were signed in such fields as aerospace, intelligent driving, the metaverse and green and low-carbon development.

Ten international institutions and enterprises have become Shanghai's global investment partners this year including Tishman Speyer, McKinsey&Co, Steinbeis Transfer Centers, Sino Biopharm and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, and are expected to empower the city in such areas as attracting projects and talents, promoting technological transformation and boosting industrial development.