Two metropolises seek common ground through city dialogue

The Our Water Season III: Shanghai-New York City Dialogue launched in New York Bloomberg Tower on Tuesday.

Under the theme "Rivers of Opportunities", the forum brought together government representatives, business leaders, financial institutions, consumer brands and cultural figures to explore new opportunities for China-US cooperation, with a special focus on financial and consumer industry collaboration between the two cities.

Michael Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg L.P. and Bloomberg Philanthropies, said Shanghai and New York share many defining characteristics as waterfront cities and global centers of commerce and culture.

Bloomberg, whose company has operated in Shanghai for more than three decades and who visited China in 2025, said exchanges between cities are more important than ever.

"Now the conversation has arrived, and another great waterfront city, and that's something New York shares in common with Shanghai," he said.

The former New York mayor said New York and Shanghai are both cultural, commercial and culinary capitals.

"Great cities just don't compete with each other. They learn from each other. That kind of exchange between cities has never been more important," he said.

Bloomberg noted that more than half of the world's population now lives in cities, placing urban governments at the forefront of addressing challenges ranging from public health and education to housing and climate change.

"We borrow ideas from other cities, and we're glad the other cities borrowed from us," he added.

Tang Zhiwen, minister at the Chinese Embassy in the United States, said exchanges between Shanghai and New York have become vivid examples of how China and the US can pursue mutual success through cooperation.

He said the two cities could take the lead in emerging fields including artificial intelligence, climate change, green shipping and smart cities, while promoting more high-level exchanges between the two countries.

Tang also noted that Shanghai has welcomed nearly 10,000 young Americans under China's initiative to invite 50,000 American youths to visit the country over five years.

Chen Yiqun, director-general of the Information Office of Shanghai Municipality, said waterways have long connected both cities to the world and continue to shape their future development.

"Water once carried both of our cities into the world. And now, water is asking something new of us: how do we keep our harbors and our waterfronts alive, open and growing for the next generation … 'Our Water' exists to give cities like ours a place to compare notes, to learn from each other, and to keep growing together," she said.

She said the "Our Water" initiative provides a platform for cities to exchange ideas, learn from one another and jointly address shared urban challenges.

"When we talk today about finance, investment, consumption and innovation, we're not just talking about growth for growth's sake. We're talking about what it takes to keep a city open, adaptable and full of opportunity for the people who call it home," Chen added.

The forum also featured a fireside discussion, "Seeking Common Ground through Dialogues", between Da Wei, a professor of international relations at Tsinghua University, and Tom Orlik, chief economist at Bloomberg Economics, on China-US economic relations and opportunities for cooperation amid global uncertainty.

Orlik, who has lived in China for years, told China Daily that the experience has helped him better understand the country and appreciate the importance of people-to-people exchanges.

"Connections are really important for understanding," he said. "Both sides have more work to do to make it easier and more welcoming for those kinds of exchanges to take place."

Yao Ming, chairman of the Yao Foundation and a member of the NBA Hall of Fame, said sports have long connected people across cultures and borders: This year, the New York Knicks captured the 2026 NBA championship, while the Shanghai Sharks won the Chinese Basketball Association title. Yao also led the Sharks to their first CBA championship in 2002.

Reflecting on his years playing in the NBA, Yao said living in Shanghai while traveling extensively across the US broadened his perspective on exchanges.

"I try to learn from other people and make sure that becomes part of me," he said. "I learned so much from all the people I met and all the cities I visited."

Yao said Shanghai has become an increasingly important destination for international sporting events, including Formula One, reflecting the city's openness, youthful energy and deep cultural roots.