Shanghai will host the 2025 International Friendship Cities Cooperation Forum this week, bringing together officials from 26 cities across 22 countries to discuss green urban governance, low-carbon development, and youth-driven innovation.

The four-day event begins Wednesday and includes a main forum on Thursday afternoon, where international mayors, Chinese officials, business leaders, and researchers will share strategies on future-oriented urban planning. Themed Green, Low-Carbon, and Development, this year’s forum spotlights climate-focused cooperation and cross-border innovation.

Since its launch in 2019, the forum has welcomed representatives from 43 cities across 35 countries, including the UK, Belgium, Greece, Russia, Egypt, the U.S., Argentina, Japan, and Thailand.

Two new cooperation agreements will be signed during the event, including between Shanghai and the cities of Vientiane, Laos, and Tbilisi, Georgia.

The forum also marks key milestones in Shanghai’s global partnerships: 30 years of sister-city ties with Windhoek, Namibia; 20 years with Cork, Ireland, and Jeonbuk State, South Korea; and a new agreement signed in January with Athens, Greece.

Shanghai currently maintains friendship city relations with 95 cities or regions in 59 countries.

(Header image: VCG)