Shanghai hosted a significant bilateral forum on Monday, December 16, 2025, centered around river-themed cooperation between global metropolitan centers and international organizations. The event marked the second edition of the river dialogue between Shanghai and New York, drawing inspiration from both cities’ iconic waterways—the Huangpu and Hudson rivers respectively.
The forum brought together representatives from United Nations agencies, business leaders, and cross-cultural experts from both nations to explore collaborative opportunities across economic, trade, and cultural dimensions. Sha Hailin, President of the Shanghai Public Relations Association, emphasized the historical transformation of both rivers from industrial arteries to urban landmarks, noting that sustained civilian bonds between the cities provide essential stability for China-US relations.
Jeffrey Lehman, Executive Vice Chancellor of NYU Shanghai and Chair of the AmCham Shanghai board of governors, highlighted the parallel roles both cities play as global connection points. “Both rivers anchor their respective cities and serve as vital connection points while defining urban identity,” Lehman observed. “New York connects the United States to the world economically, culturally and politically, while people in China look outward from Shanghai to connect to the rest of the world.”
Noah Fraser, Senior Vice President of China Operations at the US-China Business Council, underscored Shanghai’s strategic importance to American businesses, with over 6,000 US companies maintaining operations in the city. Fraser identified three priority areas: maintaining competitive business environments, deepening market openness, and enhancing people-to-people exchanges.
The event was jointly organized by the Shanghai Public Relations Association, the Shanghai Institute of American Studies, and the Shanghai UN Research Association, signaling institutional commitment to strengthening bilateral ties through multilateral engagement frameworks.