In an era of globalization, openness, cooperation and healthy competition are the effective path to sustainably enhance industrial competitiveness. As the international economic and trade order undergoes profound restructuring, the importance of advocating and upholding free and fair trade and fostering a predictable policy environment has become all the more prominent, both for the continued enhancement of countries’ industrial competitiveness and for the stable development of global industrial and supply chains. Against this backdrop, the Parallel Session “Free and Fair Trade and Industrial Competitiveness Cooperation” of the 9ᵗʰ HongQiao Forum (HQF) will be held on the afternoon of November 5, 2026, in the Grand Ballroom of the InterContinental Shanghai HongQiao NECC. Hosted by the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China, the Session will bring together senior government officials from China and abroad, renowned scholars and industry leaders to explore, amid profound changes in the international economic and trade landscape, how to create a policy environment conducive to enhancing industrial competitiveness and how to promote a virtuous interaction between free and fair trade and industrial development.

The Session will feature three highlights worth looking forward to. First, a distinguished line-up of guests. Maninder Sidhu, Minister of International Trade of Canada, Cecilie Myrseth, Minister of Industry and Commerce of Norway‌, James J. Heckman, Nobel Laureate in Economics, WANG Xiaoqiu, Chairman of SAIC Motor Corporation Limited, and other guests will share their insights on openness and cooperation and on enhancing industrial competitiveness. Second, an in-depth government-business dialogue. The Session will hold in-depth discussions focusing on the automotive industry, one of the most globally integrated sectors. Heads of trade remedy investigation authorities from China, South Africa and other countries, together with representatives of relevant industry organizations and automotive industry enterprises such as CCCME, Mercedes-Benz Geely and BlackBerry, will engage in dialogue from both government and industry perspectives on how to create a trade policy environment conducive to enhancing industrial competitiveness. Third, the organic integration of industry and research. The Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences will release the Global Automotive Competitiveness Report 2026 for the first time at the Session, providing a useful reference for all parties in tracking trends in the automotive industry and improving policy frameworks.

Confirmed guests (in no particular order):

Maninder Sidhu, Minister of International Trade, Canada

Cecilie Myrseth, Minister of Industry and Commerce, Norway

James J. Heckman, Laureate of the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences, Professor at the University of Chicago

WANG Xiaoqiu, Chairman of the Board, SAIC Motor Corporation Limited

GAN Chunhui, President of Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, Editor-in-Chief of Shanghai Economy

PENG Tao, Director-General of Trade Remedy and Investigation Bureau, Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China

Ayabonga Cawe, Chairperson, International Trade Administration Commission of South Africa

LIU Chun, President of the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products (CCCME)

Oliver Thöne, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, CEO and Chairman of Mercedes-Benz (China) Investment Co., Ltd.  

CHEN Yimin, Vice President, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer (CCO), Geely Holding Group

John De Boer, Vice President, BlackBerry

SHEN Yi, Professor at the School of International Relations and Public Affairs, Fudan University