The 9th International Forum on Urban Competitiveness (“The Forum”) was successfully held from 24 – 25 June 2010 in Nanjing Purple Palace. Initiated by the Global Urban Competitiveness Project Team (GUCP), this year’s Forum was hosted by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) and Nanjing Municipal People’s Government and supported by the Better Hong Kong Foundation (“Foundation”). The theme of this year’s Forum is “Technological Innovation: Enhance Urban Competitiveness”. Around 60 experts and scholars from China and overseas as well as senior officials from local governments have attended the Forum and exchanged their views.
Mr. Ronnie Chan, Executive Committee Chairman of the Foundation and the Chairman of Hang Lung Properties Ltd chaired the roundtable discussion between leaders of best performing cities during which deputy mayors or senior officials from Guangzhou, Qingdao, Ningbo, Suzhou, Nanchang, Hefei, Nantong and Nanjing gathered to share their valuable experience on the planning of urban development. As the supporting organization, the Foundation’s Executive Director Ms. Karen Tang was invited as one of the officiating guests at the opening and closing ceremony of the Forum. The Foundation’s Trustee Tan Sri Dato’ David Chiu, and Council Members Mr. Thomas Woo and Mr. Albert Ip also attended the Forum. By the invitation of the Foundation, Mr. Chiu Liang Ching (Columnist of Ming Pao Weekly Magazine), Ms. Chloe Lai (Guangzhou Correspondent of South China Morning Post) and Mr. Simon Cox (Asia Economics Editor of The Economist) joined the Foundation’s delegation to Nanjing.
The sharing of experts and scholars in the theme discussion session on enhancing urban competitiveness by scientific and technological innovation was most insightful and fruitful. The launching ceremony for the English edition of Global Urban Competitiveness Report by Prof. Ni Pengfei, the General Secretary of the GUCP and the Global Urban Competitiveness Report (2009-2010) were also the highlights of the Forum. Scholars from Australia, France, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Netherlands, UK, US as well as China Mainland have shared their studies and research results on urban competitiveness with participants of the Forum. To welcome the delegates and to let them know more about the history of the city, the Nanjing Government arranged a tour to Dr. Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum and the Ming City Walls.
Since the inception of the Forum in 2004, this annual Forum has been successfully staged in Tsingtao, Ottawa, Chengdu, Seoul, Yangzhou, Mexico, Philadelphia and Naples respectively. The Foundation would like to congratulate the CASS and Nanjing Government for the success of this year’s Forum.
Please click here to download the Global Urban Competitiveness Report (2009 – 2010) and the individual Urban Competitiveness Report of Brazil, Canada, China Mainland, Germany, India, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Russia, UK and US as well as the ranking of 2009-2010 Urban Comprehensive Competitiveness.
The Foundation’s Executive Committee Chairman Mr. Ronnie Chan (5th left) taking a photo with leaders of the best performing cities after the rountable discussion, together with the Foundation’s Trustee Tan Sri Dato’ David Chiu (2nd left), Council Members Mr. Albert Ip (1st left) and Mr. Thomas Woo (1st right) and Executive Director Ms. Karen Tang (2nd right)
