On November 22, 2019, the Signing Ceremony of both Shanghai Forum and Asia Research Center, together with the 1st Preparatory Meeting of Shanghai Forum 2020 were successfully held at Fudan University.

Xu Ningsheng, President of Fudan University, Park In-kook, President of Korea Foundation for Advanced Studies and Chey Institute for Advanced Studies, and Chen Zhimin, Vice President of Fudan University made the speeches. The Organizing Committee of Shanghai Forum, the Forum Secretariat, roundtable chairs, as well as representatives of relevant departments at Fudan attended the meeting. President Xu and President Park signed the Cooperation Agreement on Shanghai Forum 2020 and the Asia Research Center.

The 1st Preparatory Meeting of Shanghai Forum 2020 was held afterwards. President Xu Ningsheng addressed the meeting and praised Shanghai Forum for her achievements over the past years and expressed a higher expectation on next year’s Forum in his speech. President Park In-Kook put forward constructive comments on the overall layout of the Forum and Vice President Chen Zhimin defined the key directions for the overall design and organization of the Forum.

Shanghai Forum 2020 is to be held on May 9-11, with the theme “Asia’s New Journey: the Decade Ahead.” The forum panels would include Science and Technology Development, Regional Development, Global Governance and a special topic: Shanghai’s Development and the Yangtze River Delta Integration. The roundtables will focus on international and domestic hot issues, such as Artificial Intelligence, Mental Health, Precise Medical Care, Digital Currency, Blockchain, Smart City, Green Finance and Integrated Circuit, etc.

Shanghai Forum, launched in 2005, is known as one of the most famous international forums held in Shanghai. Co-hosted by Fudan University and Korea Foundation for Advanced Studies, undertaken by Fudan Development Institute (FDDI), the Forum is a non-governmental and non-profit academic organization which holds an annual symposium each May in Shanghai. Shanghai Forum takes its mission to “Concentrate on Asia, Focus on Hot Issues, Congregate Elites, Promote Interactions, Enhance Cooperation and Seek Consensus”. During 2005 to 2017, the main theme of the Forum was “Economic Globalization and the Choice of Asia”. The world situation and Asia’s influence has changed a lot in recent years. To keep pace with the times, the organizing committee decided to adjust the main theme into “Global Governance and Asia”. It endeavors to build an interactive platform for multisided communication amongst academic, political, commercial, and press circles. Significant problems in Asia and the world will be discussed comprehensively and profoundly in fields like global governance, social security, environmental governance, economy & finance, scientific and technological innovation.