On January 13, the inaugural ceremony of the Italian Innovation Center took place at Yangpu Riverside. In attendance were Dong Yiwen, Director of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of Shanghai Municipal People's Government; Xue Kan, Secretary of the CPC Yangpu District Committee; Zhou Haiying, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Yangpu District Committee and Head of Yangpu District; Dong Xinwang, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Yangpu District Committee and Chairman of the Yangpu Overseas Friendship Association; Liu Jinyuan, Deputy Head of Yangpu District; Lorenza Bonaccorsi, President of the First District of the Rome Communal Council; Ugo Papi, International Affairs Advisor to the Mayor of Rome; Yuri Trombetti, Rome's Chairman of Intangible Cultural Heritage; Piero Cuconato, Economic Advisor of Lazio Region; and Jin Hui, President of the Italy Soong Ching Ling Foundation and Chair of the Italian Chinese Consultative Committee.

  At the ceremony, guests including Dong Yiwen, Xue Kan, Zhou Haiying, Lorenza Bonaccorsi, and Jin Hui jointly inaugurated the Italian Innovation Center.

  Witnessed by Dong Yiwen, Xue Kan, and other guests, Zhou Haiying and Lorenza Bonaccorsi signed the Memorandum of Understanding for Friendly Exchanges on behalf of Yangpu District and Rome's First District, respectively, and exchanged commemorative gifts. Under the memorandum, the two sides will enhance exchanges and interaction, foster collaboration in economic, cultural, and tourism sectors, strengthen the bond between the residents of both sides, and jointly pursue prosperity and development.

  In the presence of the guests, representatives from the resident enterprise AT Group Italia and the resident association Shanghai Jinjiang Chamber of Commerce entered into agreements with the Italian Innovation Center.

  Zhou Haiying, on behalf of the CPC Yangpu District Committee and the Yangpu District People's Government, warmly welcomed the arrival of Lorenza Bonaccorsi and her delegation. He noted that despite the vast distance between Yangpu and Rome, both share the common attributes of flourishing due to their waters and a pursuit of innovation. This year marks the 21st anniversary of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Italy. It is anticipated that the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding for Friendly Exchanges between Yangpu and Rome's First District will serve as a new beginning. With the Italian Innovation Center as a pivotal platform, it is envisioned that the distinctive strengths of both sides in culture and innovation will be harnessed to robustly expand trade and investment opportunities, actively explore collaborative innovation, continuously deepen people-to-people exchanges, and further build a bridge for Sino-Italian friendly cooperation, contributing anew to the development of Sino-Italian friendly cooperation.

  Lorenza Bonaccorsi said that Italy and China, as ancient civilizations and major global economies, have a longstanding legacy of economic and trade cooperation and cultural exchanges. Rome's First District, with its rich cultural heritage and enchanting natural landscapes, stands as a crucial region for the dissemination of Italian culture and the advancement of tourism. The cooperation between Rome's First District and Yangpu signifies more than a mere geographical linkage; it represents a cultural fusion and economic synergy. Hopefully, the friendship between the two districts will flow ceaselessly and eternally, much like the ancient Tiber River and the picturesque Huangpu River. She extended heartfelt wishes for the forthcoming collaboration to bear abundant fruit, jointly progressing towards a more resplendent future.

  The Italian Innovation Center is situated at the Yangpu Riverside. It is expected to build a new bridge for exchanges and cooperation between China and Italy across economic, cultural, and educational spheres. The center will concentrate on facilitating reciprocal investment between enterprises of the two countries, intensifying people-to-people exchanges, and endeavoring to fortify the profound friendship and cooperative bonds between China and Italy. This effort is geared towards propelling the Sino-Italian collaboration to yield an abundance of fruitful outcomes.