On June 30, 2026, the launch ceremony and New York Forum for OUR WATER Season 3 were held at Bloomberg Headquarters in New York, co-hosted by Bloomberg L.P. The event, themed "Rivers of Opportunities," focused on the shared certainties of Shanghai and New York City, anchoring growth through open cooperation and reshaping the future through innovation and resilience. The forum was attended by 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 China in New York; Chen Yiqun, Director-General of the Information Office of Shanghai Municipality; and Hu Minghua, President of Shanghai United Media Group, along with over 200 guests from political, business, finance, and cultural sectors of both nations.
The forum explored the openness and similarities between Shanghai and New York to identify a shared framework of certainties among global hub cities. Both cities share distinct advantages in sectors such as finance and trade, while facing common challenges in urban renewal, low-carbon development, and digital transformation. Candid and open dialogue was emphasized as essential for mutual learning and for injecting stability into China-U.S. relations.
A panel titled "Investing in China, Winning the Future" discussed how global capital understands the Chinese market. Chinese and international guests addressed the shift of Chinese asset appeal from traditional growth narratives to AI, high-end manufacturing, financial opening-up, and institutional market development. Shanghai, as a hub for financial opening-up, an asset allocation center, and a cluster for innovative enterprises, 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, observed that the consumer vitality of Shanghai and New York stems not only from market size but also from their ongoing 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: West Meets East·Shanghai & New York 2026 - A Polaroid 20×24 Special Exhibition; Chinese Opera: A Century of Dreams - An Exhibition of Art Design and Technology; an exhibition themed Shanghai's "One River, One Creek" and Jing'an CAZ; and China-U.S. Business Leaders Dialogue in New York. These events shape a tangible and immersive waterfront narrative, allowing Shanghai and New York—two super metropolises that have thrived on water—to resonate in harmony through dialogue.
As Minister Tang Zhiwen stated in his address, Shanghai and New York are expected to become benchmarks for subnational cooperation between China and the United States, making new contributions to fostering a "constructive China-U.S. relationship of strategic stability." The implications of this forum are significant: by strengthening subnational ties, both cities can drive innovation in finance, technology, and urban development, setting a model for other global cities and potentially easing broader bilateral tensions.
