From 26 July 2010 Statutory Deputy Mayor of London Richard Barnes hosted a week of activity in Shanghai aimed at highlighting London’s appeal as a business and investment destination.
"London Week" positioned the city as the ideal place for a Chinese company to establish its European headquarters and access the European market. It also showcased the city’s strengths - its global financial centre, commitment to low carbon living and its leadership in the creative and cultural sectors.
During a press conference on Monday 26 July Deputy Mayor Richard Barnes said that Shanghai Expo had given London the chance to show the rest of the world what makes it a truly global city. He also spoke about the opportunities that exist for companies that share London’s vision for a low carbon economy.
In keeping with Shanghai Expo’s theme of "Better City, Better Life", the Deputy Mayor and London Development Agency representatives outlined the ways in which London is using low carbon initiatives and sustainable urban design and development to help improve life for London's residents.
Deputy Chief Executive and Group Director for Design, Development and Environment at the London Development Agency Peter Bishop discussed plans to stimulate and drive growth in the low carbon and environmental goods and services markets, creating sustainable jobs and opportunities for Londoners.
A series of events were held throughout the week to specifically target potential investors, including a business reception and networking event. There were also opportunities to learn from the experience of authorities in China who have hosted large scale events such as Shanghai Expo and the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Tuesday 27 July marked the two-year countdown to the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and a reception was held at the UK Pavilion. Deputy Mayor Richard Barnes wished Chinese athletes hoping to attend the event well for their preparations.
Zhong Weiping, a gold medal-winning fencer said: "With its significant low carbon aspirations, I am greatly anticipating London as my next stop as an Olympic athlete. I look forward to competing my hardest to bring home the gold once again."
Lu Hongqin, captain of the Shanghai women’s sitting volleyball team and member of national team said: "I am eager to experience the London Olympics and the opportunity it will provide to meet and compete with my fellow paralympic athletes. Equally exciting is the chance of visiting the great city of London and all it has to offer."
The National Youth Theatre, who sang the British national anthem at the Beijing 2008 closing ceremony wrote and performed a song especially for the occasion - 'This is the London song'.
An exhibition created by the LDA and titled 'London, Low Carbon Capital' will run for the duration of Shanghai Expo (1st May – 31st Oct 2010) at the 'ZEDpavilion', located in the 'Urban Best Practices Area' of Expo park. The exhibition showcases London's low-carbon economy credentials and establishes London as a thought leader on city planning and design. The exhibition also highlights and celebrates the legacy that will be provided by the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and positions London as a great city to invest, study in and visit.
London Development Agency Group Director Business Support and Promotion Danny Lopez said: "We have a unique opportunity to showcase London’s outstanding business and investment potential to an audience of more than 70 million people at this year’s Shanghai World Expo. London’s exhibition will be a visual reminder of the benefits of visiting and investing in the capital."
Further reading: Next Stop London