On October 8th, the registration for the 7th Hongqiao International Economic Forum officially opened in Shanghai. Wang Hongwei, the head of the Forum Department at the China International Import Expo Bureau, shared insights with the media about this year’s key topics and notable guests.

This year, the forum will tackle significant issues such as “climate change,” the “Global South,” the “30th anniversary of the WTO,” “international standard cooperation,” “artificial intelligence,” “new energy vehicles,” and “consumer quality enhancement.” The design of these topics reflects crucial areas, including new productive forces, high-level openness, new industrialization, and emerging economies. The forum aims to address macro-level strategies while also focusing on innovative practices, all with the goal of boosting global openness, enhancing economic governance, and fulfilling the responsibilities of international public goods.

A wide range of authoritative figures will participate in in-depth discussions at the forum, including representatives from governments, international organizations, business leaders, and renowned scholars. Among the notable attendees will be Nobel Laureates in Economics Christopher A. Sims and Eric Maskin, Nobel Prize-winning chemists Michael Levitt and Stanley Whittingham, Turing Award winner Joseph Sifakis, and Fields Medalist Hugo Duminis-Copan. Senior officials from international organizations, such as Pedro Manuel Moreno, Deputy Secretary-General of the UN Conference on Trade and Development, and Fatou Haidara, Executive Secretary of the UN Industrial Development Organization, are also expected to attend. Additionally, global executives from major companies like AstraZeneca, HSBC, PepsiCo, Merck, and BMW, as well as top executives from Chinese firms such as Bank of China, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Wuliangye Group, and Honor Mobile, have announced their intention to join.

During the forum, the “World Open Report 2024” and the latest World Openness Index will be launched. The “World Open Report,” which serves as the flagship publication for the Hongqiao International Economic Forum, has been released for three consecutive years. Moreover, the UN Conference on Trade and Development will present the “2024 Trade and Development Report” (the first unveiling in China), while the UN Industrial Development Organization will introduce the “2024 Industrial Development Report” (also a first release in China).

The 7th Hongqiao International Economic Forum is set to take place from November 5 to 10, 2024, in conjunction with the 7th China International Import Expo at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai.