On June 30, 2026, the launch ceremony and New York Forum for OUR WATER Season 3 were held at Bloomberg Headquarters in New York, marking a significant step in subnational cooperation between two global financial hubs. The event, themed "Rivers of Opportunities," brought together over 200 guests from the political, business, finance, and cultural sectors of China and the United States, including 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 in New York; Chen Yiqun, Director-General of Information Office of Shanghai Municipality; and Hu Minghua, President of Shanghai United Media Group.
The forum focused on exploring the openness and similarities between Shanghai and New York to identify a shared framework of certainties among global hub cities. The two cities share distinct advantages in sectors such as finance and trade, while facing common challenges in urban renewal, low-carbon development, and digital transformation. 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, contributing to a "constructive China-U.S. relationship of strategic stability." This initiative matters because it injects stability into the broader China-U.S. relationship at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions, demonstrating that city-level diplomacy can yield tangible outcomes.
Key panels addressed critical issues for global investors. A panel titled "Investing in China, Winning the Future" examined how the appeal of Chinese assets is shifting from traditional growth narratives to AI, high-end manufacturing, financial opening-up, and institutional market development. As a hub for financial opening-up and an asset allocation center, Shanghai 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, noted that consumer vitality in both cities stems not only from market size but from their ability to create experiences and activate urban spaces. These discussions underline the importance of continued openness and dialogue for mutual learning.
Beyond the forum, the New York series of events for OUR WATER Season 3 includes a Polaroid 20×24 Special Exhibition, an exhibition on Chinese opera art design and technology, an exhibition themed around Shanghai's "One River, One Creek" and Jing'an CAZ, and a China-U.S. Business Leaders Dialogue. These events shape a tangible waterfront narrative, allowing the two metropolises to resonate through dialogue. The collaboration, co-hosted by Bloomberg L.P., highlights how subnational cooperation can drive progress on shared challenges like urban renewal and low-carbon development. The implications are far-reaching: if successful, this model could be replicated by other global cities seeking to foster stability and innovation in an uncertain world.
