On 11 June 2026, a delegation of 30 people from the SBC-USST international summer school visited the Hongqiao Import Commodity Exhibition and Trade Center (HQ365) in Shanghai. The group included international students and faculty from SBC’s UK partner universities, alongside local SBC staff and students.
The delegation was welcomed by Zhu Jing, Deputy General Manager of Shanghai Hongqiao International Import Commodity Exhibition and Trading Co., Ltd., together with her HR colleagues.
The visit highlighted how HQ365 amplifies the CIIE’s impact beyond the expo hall, transforming exhibits into everyday retail goods. The centre also runs an integrated live streaming hub for display, sales, and training, alongside a dedicated low‑altitude economy industrial platform.
Key activities during the visit:
Building B – The Hongqiao Yangtze River Delta Low‑Altitude Economy Exhibition & Trade Center, where participants received an overview of the low‑altitude economy’s industrial ecosystem, including drone applications, urban air mobility, and related infrastructure.
Building A
I. The CIIE Premium Shopping Collection and Shanghai International Sister Cities Hub – exploring how CIIE exhibits are commercialised and distributed through the centre.
II. The HQ365 Live Streaming Base – a session on how live e‑commerce opens up online channels for local premium brands and CIIE exhibits, including a hands‑on experience of an active live broadcast.
III. The Hongqiao International Coffee Harbor – a presentation on industrial clustering, bringing together coffee sourcing, trading, branding, and innovation.
Students engaged in an interactive discussion with company representatives on cross‑border e‑commerce trends, logistics innovation, and the infrastructure enabling digital retail.
Overall, the visit not only highlighted Shanghai’s standing as a global trade hub but also showcased HQ365’s distinctive role as a multi‑functional gateway for imports, innovation, and industrial clustering, and further strengthened the links between SBC-USST and the centre.
