Shanghai holds bilateral collaboration summit in Spain with the participation of Turespaña, Madrid, Málaga and Thyssen
In order to create new opportunities for communication and collaboration, and in the framework of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Spain and China, the Government Information Office of the city of Shanghai has organised the "Shanghai - Madrid Communication Summit" and the art exhibition "Impressions of Two Cities in Colour Notes", in collaboration with the Chinese Embassy in Spain and the Shanghai Engineering Research and Design Institute, and the participation of a hundred representatives of Spanish institutions and companies.
The event was attended by the Director General of Turespaña and President of the European Travel Commission, Miguel Sanz, the President of the Shanghai International Communication Association, Ma Xiaohong, the Minister Counsellor of Culture of the Chinese Embassy in Spain, He Yun, the Minister Counsellor, Du Juan, the Director of the China Culture Centre in Madrid and the China Tourism Office in Madrid, Yang Changqing, the Director of Tourism of the City of Madrid, Héctor Coronel, the Director of Tourism of Málaga, Jonathan Gómez, the Director of the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum, Evelio Acevedo, the Director of Information of the EFE news agency, José Manuel Sanz, the Director of the Information Office of the Shanghai Municipality, Yang Jing, the Division Director of the influential Shanghai Jiefang Daily, Wang Renwei, and the International Director of the Leading Brands of Spain Forum, Pedro Vargas, among others.
Ma Xiaohong, president of the Shanghai International Communication Association, stressed that half a century of diplomatic relations is a key milestone and a moment for "Spain and China to continue writing a new chapter of friendly cooperation together". He presented Shanghai as an intersection of Chinese and Western civilisations that gives it a character of "openness, innovation and inclusiveness" and spoke of the similarities between Shanghai and Madrid, both "important economic centres with a deep cultural tradition".
The Director General of Turespaña and President of the European Travel Commission (ETC), Miguel Sanz, highlighted the importance of the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the re-establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Spain and the celebration of the Dual Year of Culture and Tourism Spain. Turespaña is actively participating in these commemorations.
Sanz indicated that "China, and its main cities, are strategic and highly relevant markets for our country. Shanghai is one of this country's major international tourism outbound markets and Turespaña is making a special effort in this region". He announced that "between 2023 and 2024, 13 important actions will be carried out to promote cultural tourism in the Shanghai market alone, ranging from cultural promotion to high-level institutional meetings and tourism cooperation meetings, participation in fairs, bilateral meetings with the sector, exhibitions and thematic collaborations, co-marketing campaigns, and the organisation in 2024 of a direct conference organised by Turespaña in December of this year".
For his part, He Yong, Minister-Counsellor for Culture of the Chinese Embassy in Spain, said that "Spain is one of the most popular destinations for Chinese tourists: in the first half of 2023, the number of Chinese tourists visiting Spain increased by 420% and consumer spending increased by 592%. From January to August this year, the number of Chinese tourists visiting Madrid exceeded 68,000, an increase of 150% over the same period last year". He regretted, however, that "unfortunately we have not had such good results in attracting Spanish tourists to China" which "shows that we still have a lot of work to do and learn more from our colleagues in the Spanish cultural and tourism sector".
The Director of Tourism of Madrid City Council, Héctor Coronel, stressed that "relations between Madrid and the different regions of China, especially Shanghai, are fundamental to continue bringing the two territories closer together and to promote tourism in particular". He spoke of air connectivity as "a fundamental pillar that must continue to be strengthened", "increasing frequencies and giving the opportunity for both cultures to be increasingly united". Coronel announced that "Madrid is working on a plan to increase tourism from Asia, while at the same time we are implementing initiatives to offer excellent service to our Chinese visitors throughout the destination".
"Strategic keys to bilateral collaboration"
The round table entitled "Strategic keys to bilateral collaboration", between Spanish public-private actors and Shanghai, was moderated by Carlos Sentís, CEO of Henkuai and World Innovation Alliance, and presented success stories and best practices. Sentís spoke about the importance of dialogue, cooperation, communication and human connections between leaders of public and private organisations to foster international stability and global economic development in a world of transformation and constant change.
During the panel discussion, Yang Jing, Director of the Shanghai Municipal Information Office, mentioned that Shanghai is a city with unlimited possibilities, and highlighted the service and support her office provides to international media and journalists in the city, the Office's communication channels that reach more than 20 million people on a regular basis, and the promotion work they do through art, culture and international collaboration with brands such as "Amazing Shanghai" and their slogan "Let's meet in Shanghai" or "Shanghai in my mind". Yang Jing also shared the importance of communication on digital platforms to connect with the Chinese public, highlighting channels such as Douyin, (the Chinese version of TikTok of the same company), Xiaohongshu or WeChat.
Jonathan Gomez, Director of Tourism at Malaga City Council, announced a twinning action with the city of Shanghai that will begin next December, and through which three large-scale Picasso-style artistic murals will be inaugurated simultaneously in key metro stations in Shanghai, created by the Spanish champion of urban art. Each mural is "a testament to the power of urban art to tell stories, connect cultures and celebrate history". Through these murals, Picasso's legacy is not only honoured, but also reinterpreted in a new global context, marking the 50th anniversary of his death in a way that resonates in both Málaga and Shanghai, precisely on the 50th anniversary of Spain-China diplomatic relations.
The Divisional Director of Jiefang Daily, one of the most influential media in Shanghai, spoke of sport as an excellent vehicle for communication and transmission of information between Spain and China.
For his part, Evelio Acevedo, director of the Thyssen Museum, was very satisfied with the result of the exhibition "The Six Great Centuries: Masterpieces of the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum" of 70 first-class works that was held between June and November at the Pudong Museum of Art in Shanghai to commemorate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Spain and China, and which exceeded 400,000 visitors.
The Director of Information of the EFE news agency highlighted the work that EFE journalists carry out in China, their vocation to continue the collaboration for communication and information exchange between Spanish-speaking countries and China, and stressed the fundamental role of International News Agencies to promote mutual knowledge through the power of stories narrated by professional journalists wherever the facts occur.
Finally, the international director of the Leading Brands of Spain Forum, Pedro Vargas, highlighted the importance for international brands of understanding the local reality and establishing relationships that facilitate future opportunities. He highlighted the work carried out by the FMRE at the Shanghai Expo and the recognitions of the Friends of the Spain Brand with the support of the Royal Court, and announced a delegation of top executives from leading Spanish brands to Shanghai and other cities in China next year to connect with Chinese organisations to learn from the technological development and innovation of large Chinese companies, as well as to create connections for the economic growth of both countries.
This summit is part of the communication action that the Municipality of Shanghai is developing this year in Europe, "Amazing Shanghai", with an invitation to discover the city and open a window to its many facets under the slogan "Shanghai, let's meet". It is therefore a platform for dialogue between representatives of government institutions and leaders of Chinese companies in Spain, as well as important public actors and Spanish companies, with the presence of Air China, Hainan Airlines, LaLiga, CDTI and Madrid Foro Empresarial.
Exclusive Art Exhibition in Spain
As a culmination of this meeting, the guests enjoyed the exhibition Impressions of "Two Cities in Coloured Notes" ("双城印象-彩色笔记"), created by Zhong Lyu, chief engineer of the Shanghai Urban Engineering Design and Research Institute, which highlights the diversity and cultural relationship between Shanghai and Spanish cities, serving as an artistic bridge and a means to strengthen cultural ties.
It is an exclusive exhibition in Spain, and features 20 unique pieces that open "a window into the shared soul of Shanghai and Spain", according to its author. These pieces capture the "essence of the world's leading cities: Shanghai, Madrid and Barcelona", and explore the "symbiotic relationship between them". The collection includes four series - "Return to Shanghai", "Magnificent Bund", "Madrid Lighthouse" and "Encounter in Barcelona" - that invite us on a visual journey that reflects the beauty and diversity of these two urban enclaves through the artist's unique palette.
In the words of the artist: "Painting, a silent but powerful language, acts as a canvas linking Shanghai and Spain. The exhibition is a testament to the urban energy, freedom and colourful light that characterise both Shanghai and Spain".