On March 20th, a working group from the Central Office of the Communist Party of China and the State Council Office held a roundtable discussion in Shanghai with representatives from key industries to discuss the resumption of operations and production. The meeting aimed to gather opinions and recommendations regarding the resumption of operations and production, and to formulate the next steps. The meeting was chaired by Chen Mingbo, Deputy Secretary-General of the Shanghai Municipal Government. Wang Zewen, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Commerce and Alternate Deputy Director of International Trade Negotiations, also attended and delivered a speech.



The President, Mr. Sang Jingmin, and the Secretary-General, Mr. Tu Jianqing, of the Shanghai Exhibition and Convention Industry Association, attended the meeting. Representatives from Shanghai Jushi Sports Industry Development (Group) Co., Ltd., Shanghai Disneyland, Shanghai Vegetable (Group) Co., Ltd., and the China Import and Export Fair Administration, presented updates on their COVID-19 prevention and resumption of operations, and proposed recommendations for restarting activities.

Mr. Sang Jingmin, Chairman, presented a report on behalf of the exhibition industry.Since the onset of the pandemic, under the guidance of the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Commerce, the association has led its member companies to actively combat the epidemic, conduct surveys on the impact of the epidemic on businesses, organize companies to apply for support policies, and support member companies in actively donating to affected areas.

"Mr. Sang Jingmin, Chairman, stated that, currently, most companies within the Shanghai Exhibition Industry Association have resumed operations. However, some companies remain closed due to various circumstances, facing significant survival challenges."

Furthermore, Mr. Sang Jingmin, Chairman, stated that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the exhibition and convention industry in Shanghai. All exhibitions originally scheduled for February have been suspended, and exhibitions planned for March and April have been automatically cancelled or postponed. According to estimates, approximately 119 exhibitions were planned to be held in Shanghai between February and April, with an estimated exhibition area of 471,010 square meters, representing approximately 1/4 of the total estimated exhibition area for the year. Due to the ongoing pandemic control measures, the extent of the impact on venue operators, exhibition organizers, exhibition construction companies, and exhibition service providers is currently difficult to fully assess.

Due to the crucial role of the exhibition and convention industry in fostering the recovery of manufacturing and stimulating economic growth and confidence, he calls for: 1. For the challenges currently faced by the Shanghai exhibition and convention industry, it is essential that all levels of government issue supportive policies. More importantly, proactive resumption of operations and exhibitions is necessary, allowing the industry to self-recover and revitalize. 2. He proposes the following recommendations for resumption: * To ensure the health and safety of participants, exhibitions should be reopened as soon as possible, with clear dates established under measures such as intelligent epidemic prevention and smart guidance. * The immediate issuance of the "Shanghai Exhibition and Convention Industry Novel Coronavirus Infection Prevention and Control Guidelines" is crucial to ensure the normal operation of exhibitions and the health of participants. * The resumption of exhibitions requires strong support and guidance from departments such as the Public Security Bureau and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention to effectively address any challenges encountered in the industry's resumption. * He hopes that relevant government departments will provide preferential policies to exhibition and convention industry enterprises, including assistance in coordinating with tax and financial institutions to secure tax reductions and expand financing channels. This includes measures such as special support funds, subsidies, and short-term working capital.

Vice Minister Wang and other attending leaders, along with participants, engaged in detailed discussions and provided guidance on the resumption of operations.

The leaders of the Municipal Government Office, the Municipal Commission of Economy and Information Technology, the Municipal Commission of Commerce, the Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, and the Municipal Bureau of Sports also attended this meeting.