Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng leads delegation to Los Angeles attend the “2024 China-California Business Forum”

LAPost Los Angeles (May 20, 2024) – The 2024 China-California Business Forum took place on Monday in downtown Los Angeles, attracting over 400 business owners, entrepreneurs, and officials from China and California. This year, Shanghai was the guest city, with a delegation of over 100 members led by Shanghai Mayor Dr. Gong Zheng, who delivered a 15-minute keynote speech. California Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis addressed the forum via video, emphasizing the importance of local cooperation between California and China.

Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng (Photo by: Richard Ren/LAPost)

In his speech, Mayor Gong Zheng outlined the current economic development of Shanghai and expressed the desire to: “further deepen cooperation in technological innovation, trade and investment, green low-carbon initiatives, and cultural exchanges.”

(Photo by: Richard Ren/LAPost)

The forum also featured prominent speakers such as Chinese Consul General in Los Angeles Guo Shaochun, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, U.S. Representative Judy Chu, and California Government Operations Agency Secretary Amy Tong. Each of them expressed confidence in promoting U.S.-China economic exchanges and business interactions.

Chinese Consul General Guo Shaochun stated, “I believe the greatest significance of this forum is to promote local cooperation between China and the U.S., particularly in the fields of two-way investment and trade. The attendees will engage in very in-depth interactions through this platform. I am confident that in these interactions, both sides will uncover more opportunities for collaboration.”

The forum included signing ceremonies for MOUs between the Shanghai Foreign Investment Development Board and the Los Angeles World Trade Center, Shanghai International Port Group and Matson Navigation Company, and Shanghai Airport Authority and San Francisco International Airport.

(Photo by: Richard Ren/LAPost)

Various panels were set up during the forum, such as “Bilateral Investment Opportunities,” “China-California Climate Cooperation,” “Insights from International Consumer Center Cities for Global Brands,” and “China-U.S. Clean Technology Cooperation Matchmaking.”

The China-California Business Forum is a flagship event under the joint working framework for trade and investment cooperation between Chinese provinces (municipalities) and the state of California. It aims to promote trade and investment between California and Chinese provinces (municipalities) and encourages entrepreneurs to explore business opportunities. The forum covers multiple themes, including clean technology, e-commerce, agriculture, infrastructure, and innovation cooperation. The previous five forums have attracted over 2,100 participants.

This year’s forum was hosted by the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Los Angeles. Supporting organizations included the California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz), the GO-Biz China Trade and Investment Network, and the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products. (By: Richard Ren/LAPost)