From July 18 to 19, over 30 urban experts and Chinese government officials, representing eight Chinese cities, gathered in Beijing for a workshop on innovative urban governance. 

The workshop included case analysis, expert comments and networking events. Mr. Song Jingwu, Vice President of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), remarked that innovation is closely linked to our national development strategies and he encouraged cities to learn from innovative cases of management and development.

He also called for more Chinese cities to participate in the 2016 Guangzhou Award, harnessing the power of this platform to showcase China’s solutions and wisdom to the world. Mr. Liu Baochun, Director General of Guangzhou Foreign Affairs Office, made the same call as he introduced the previous cycles of the Guangzhou Award, also describing how the Guangzhou Award aims to become a platform for cities worldwide to share experience in urban innovation.