On January 13, the inauguration ceremony of the Italian Innovation Center was held at Yangpu Riverside. Attendees included Dong Yiwen, Director of the Shanghai Overseas Chinese Affairs Office; Xue Kan, Secretary of the Yangpu District Committee; Zhou Haiying, District Mayor; Dong Xinwang, Standing Committee Member and President of the Overseas Friendship Association; and Liu Jinyuan, Deputy District Mayor. Italian representatives included Lorenza Bonaccorsi, President of Rome's 1st District; Ugo Papi, International Affairs Advisor to the Mayor of Rome; Yuri Trombetti, President of Rome's Intangible Cultural Heritage; Piero Cuconato, Economic Advisor to the Lazio Region; and Jin Hui, President of the Italy Soong Ching Ling Foundation. They jointly attended the unveiling ceremony.

Amid warm applause, Dong Yiwen, Xue Kan, Zhou Haiying, and Lorenza Bonaccorsi jointly unveiled the Italian Innovation Center, marking the official launch of this significant international cooperation platform.

Subsequently, witnessed by representatives from both sides, District Mayor Zhou Haiying and President Lorenza Bonaccorsi signed the Letter of Intent on Friendly Exchanges Between Districts on behalf of Yangpu District and Rome’s 1st District, respectively, and exchanged locally symbolic souvenirs. Under the agreement, the two sides will deepen cooperation in economy, culture, tourism, and other fields, foster people-to-people exchanges, and achieve mutual benefits.

During the ceremony, representatives from the first batch of入驻机构 (institutional tenants) — AT Group Italia and the Shanghai Jinjiang Chamber of Commerce — signed cooperation agreements with the Italian Innovation Center, laying the foundation for the initial phase of collaboration.

In his speech, Zhou Haiying extended a sincere welcome to the Italian delegation. He emphasized that although Yangpu and Rome are geographically distant, they share the developmental ethos of waterfront cities and a spirit of innovation. On the occasion of the 21st anniversary of the China-Italy comprehensive strategic partnership, he expressed hope that the signing of the letter of intent would serve as a new starting point. Leveraging the Innovation Center platform, the two regions can fully utilize their respective resources to deepen cooperation in trade, investment, technological innovation, and cultural exchanges, injecting new momentum into China-Italy relations.

In her remarks, Lorenza Bonaccorsi noted that Italy and China, both ancient civilizations, have a long history of economic and cultural exchanges. As a cultural hub of Italy, Rome’s 1st District complements the dynamic Yangpu District in strengths. Drawing parallels between the Tiber River and the Huangpu River, she expressed hope for enduring friendship and flourishing cooperation, envisioning a shared future of prosperity.

It is reported that the Italian Innovation Center, located in Yangpu Riverside, will focus on advancing practical cooperation between Chinese and Italian enterprises in investment, trade, and technological innovation, while fostering multi-dimensional exchanges in education and culture. The center aims to serve as a vital bond in deepening bilateral relations between the two countries. Committed to delivering more tangible outcomes from China-Italy collaboration, it will actively contribute to the development of bilateral ties.