On June 30, 2026, the launch ceremony and New York Forum for OUR WATER Season 3 took place at Bloomberg Headquarters in New York, co-hosted by Bloomberg L.P. The event, themed "Rivers of Opportunities," brought together over 200 guests from political, business, finance, and cultural sectors to explore the shared certainties between Shanghai and New York, aiming to anchor growth through open cooperation and reshape the future through innovation and resilience.
Prominent attendees included Michael R. Bloomberg, Founder of Bloomberg L.P. and Bloomberg Philanthropies; Tang Zhiwen, Minister of the Embassy of the People's Republic in the United States; Ma Xiaoxiao, Deputy Consul General of the People's Republic of China in New York; Chen Yiqun, Director-General of Information Office of Shanghai Municipality; and Hu Minghua, President of Shanghai United Media Group. The forum underscored the distinct advantages both cities hold in finance and trade, while addressing common challenges in urban renewal, low-carbon development, and digital transformation.
In a panel titled "Investing in China, Winning the Future," Chinese and international guests discussed the shifting appeal of Chinese assets from traditional growth narratives to AI, high-end manufacturing, financial opening-up, and institutional market development. Shanghai, as a hub for financial opening-up and asset allocation, has become a crucial gateway linking international capital with opportunities in China. Another panel, "Opportunities in Emerging Consumer Markets," moderated by Bloomberg Television host David Westin, highlighted that consumer vitality in both cities stems from their ability to create experiences, understand people, and activate urban spaces.
Beyond the forum, the New York series of events for OUR WATER Season 3 includes a Polaroid 20×24 Special Exhibition, a Chinese Opera exhibition, and a China-U.S. Business Leaders Dialogue. These events shape a tangible waterfront narrative, allowing the two metropolises to resonate in harmony through dialogue. As Minister Tang Zhiwen stated, Shanghai and New York are expected to become benchmarks for subnational cooperation between China and the United States, contributing to a constructive and strategically stable bilateral relationship.
