On November 5, the 2025 California-Shanghai Cooperation Forum took place at V Hub, KIC, hosted by the Shanghai Federation of Industry and Commerce and the San Francisco Bay Area Council. The two sides explored multiple fields to enhance pragmatic economic ties and deepening regional cooperation.

Kevin Jenkins, President of the Oakland City Council President; and David Haubert, Alameda County Supervisor Jenkins and Haubert called the exchange a vital bridge that firms up business links and future cooperation.

Shanghai leads China's modernization as China's core city and opening-up hub, and the Bay Area's strong innovation offers both sides ample space to partner. Since formal cooperation began in 2007, both sides have embraced a mutually beneficial approach. In 2010, the Bay Area Council placed its China office in Yangpu, forging the main bridge. Palo Alto then became Yangpu's first international sister city, keeping citizens connected across many fields. The council still brings California officials and companies to the CIIE, channeling global resources and wider overseas routes into the district.

During the exchange, more than 100 representatives from California and Shanghai held detailed discussions in various sectors. Duan Zhigang, President of Yangpu Science and Technology Innovation Group, introduced the company's parks, which now house over 10,000 companies, including Internet leaders like Douyin, Meituan, Bilibili, as well as U.S. companies like IBM, AECOM and Dell, and invited more California companies to benefit from this ecosystem.

Prior to the forum, the California delegation toured iconic areas like Yangpu Riverside, KIC, and Changyang Campus, experiencing the pleasant living environment, robust innovation & entrepreneurship ecosystem, and vibrant industrial atmosphere.