Last month, in Shanghai and in conjunction with the China (Shanghai) International Meetings & Conferences Forum, Beijing and Shanghai municipals signed a Memorandum of Understanding on strategic cooperation in the meetings and incentives market.

This event is unprecedented as we witness these two leading cities in China agree to collaborate at the highest level.

Photo right: Ms. Connie Cheng, Vice Chairman, Shanghai Municipal Tourism Administration and Mr. Sun Wejia, Deputy Director General, Beijing Municipal Commission for Tourism Development at the signing ceremony Beijing.

Beijing and Shanghai are two important high-end meetings destinations; each reflects different characteristics and strengths in the global meetings market, complementing each other to achieve win-win cooperation.

After years of exploration and practice, Beijing and Shanghai have accumulated rich experience from joint bidding of major international conferences, promotion of tourism (business) market as well as promoting the premier meeting, convention and incentive destination.

In view of these cross-regional MICE activities, it is necessary to provide governmental support and coordination.

With the investment in transport infrastructures and the large-scale tourism projects, it is clear that there is more room for Beijing and Shanghai to further boost the meetings industry.

ICCA CEO Martin Sirk, who attended the signing ceremony, commented: "We're delighted to see this important new evolution in China's development as a mature international meetings destination, following on from the formation 18 months ago of the ICCA China Committee, and anticipating further positive changes as we move towards the 2013 ICCA Congress in Shanghai".