Chinese Dragon Boat Festival, also known as the Duanwu Festival (端午节), is a traditional Chinese holiday that falls on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar, so the date varies each year according to the Gregorian calendar.

Origins and Significance:
The festival commemorates the death of the patriotic poet Qu Yuan (屈原), who lived in the 3rd century BC during the Warring States period.
Qu Yuan, a minister of the State of Chu, committed suicide by drowning himself in the Miluo River after his beloved homeland was defeated in a vital battle against the rival state of Qin, thus losing its independence.
The local people, to prevent the fish from eating his body, paddled their boats and threw rice balls (zongzi) into the river, giving rise to the current dragon boat races and the tradition of eating zongzi.

Festival Traditions:
– Dragon Boat Races: Teams paddle long boats decorated with dragon heads and tails, competing to reach the finish line first.
– Eating Zongzi: Glutinous rice wrapped in bamboo leaves, often filled with meat, beans, or dates.
– Drinking Realgar Wine: A medicinal wine believed to ward off diseases and evil spirits.
– Wearing Fragrant Pouches: Filled with aromatic herbs, these pouches are worn for protection against diseases.

Symbolism:
The festival celebrates patriotism, loyalty, and the sacrifice of Qu Yuan, and it is an important occasion for cultural reflection and the celebration of Chinese traditions.

Modern Celebration:
Today, the Dragon Boat Festival is a public holiday in China and is celebrated with cultural events, sporting activities, and various traditional rituals, keeping ancient customs alive.

Labour Day – also known as International Workers’ Day or May Day – is observed worldwide to honour the social and economic achievements of workers.

Happy Labour Day from all the CPO Staff!

Our team attended a briefing at the European Chamber Shanghai Office, hosted by President Jens Eskelund, focusing on the critical report Exporting Control — China’s New Strategic Strategic Toolkit.

The briefing dealt with updates on the expansion of China’s export control regime, severe supply chain vulnerabilities for rare earths and critical raw materials, and the operational risks tied to new extraterritorial controls effective November 2026. The closed-door session outlined the future direction of China’s trade policy tools and practical risk mitigation strategies for European firms managing international supply chains.

CPO & Partners put strong attention on the expertise of its personnel and events like this deliver important information and updates. It is very important to listen, understand and evaluate messages of institutions like the European Chamber through its leadership, capture real-time policy intelligence, and integrate such insights into advisory services. This allows us to provide clients with precise, forward-looking support on cross-border trade compliance, critical supply chain optimization, and geopolitical risk management.

Amid rising trade tensions, we continuously monitor China-EU regulatory shifts, turning complex export control challenges into clear, safe, and executable operational roadmaps for our partners.

The Qingming Festival 清明节, known in English as Tomb-Sweeping Day, is a traditional Chinese holiday. As the name suggests, it is a day when Chinese families traditionally honour their ancestors by visiting their tombs to clean the gravesites, pray, and make ritual offerings.

It is also customary to burn paper money, sometimes even outdoors in the streets, as it is believed that deceased relatives still need material goods in the afterlife. A traditional food eaten during this festival is qingtuan – delicious green dumplings made from glutinous rice and Chinese mugwort.

CPO & Partners is proud to have taken part in the “Talk over Lunch with Paolo Gentiloni”, organized by the Italian Chamber of Commerce in China (CICC) in Shanghai.

Engaging directly with European Commissioner for Economy Paolo Gentiloni offered a valuable opportunity to reflect on Europe’s economic dynamics, the EU–China relationship, and the evolving landscape for Italian enterprises operating internationally.

Moments like these are essential to strengthening the dialogue between European institutions and the business community, while allowing us to provide our clients with strategic insights into global economic developments.

Great Year of the Horse 2026

CPO & Partners Shanghai Office Holiday Closure Announcement

CPO & Partners Shanghai will observe the Chinese New Year Holiday from Feb 15th to Feb 23th 2026.

On December 9, 2025, Francesco Marano took part in the “Zhejiang–Shanghai Connect | Jiaxing Special Event” held in Shanghai, delivering a speech focused on foreign investment projects in China.

His contribution addressed key aspects related to market entry strategies, investment pathways, and the role of tax and legal advisory in supporting cross-border operations within an evolving regulatory and economic framework.

The event provided a valuable platform for dialogue between institutions and international stakeholders, highlighting the importance of cooperation between European and Chinese business ecosystems.

The event has successfully concluded

Changzhou City – Zhonglou District, China 2030:

Opportunities and Challenges of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan, hosted in Barcelona

CPO & Partners participated alongside FELIU as an internationalization partner, contributing to the discussion on the strategic directions shaping China’s market in the coming years.

During his presentation, Fabio Enrico Pessina provided an in-depth overview of China’s economic and regulatory outlook toward 2030, highlighting implications for European companies across technology, green transition, and advanced manufacturing sectors.

We extend our thanks to FELIU for the excellent organization and to all participants for the valuable exchange.

An important opportunity to strengthen business connections between Europe and China in an increasingly complex global landscape.

Opportunities and Challenges of the Chinese Market toward 2030

The event “Opportunities and Challenges of the Chinese Market toward 2030”, held yesterday at Starhotels Majestic in Turin, concluded successfully, confirming the strong interest of the Piedmont industrial ecosystem in China’s upcoming developments.

The Pinghu Economic & Technological Development Zone delegation presented the evolution of the industrial district and the opportunities available to Italian companies in automotive, green economy and digital innovation, ahead of China’s 2026–2030 Five-Year Plan.

Professionals from CPO & Partners, together with Dr. Sara Berloto (ICCF), outlined key strategic trends, regulatory perspectives and operational frameworks supporting companies looking to strengthen their presence in China.

The discussions, Q&A session and networking cocktail highlighted the growing interest in building structured cooperation between Piedmont and China within an evolving industrial landscape.

Our sincere thanks to the Pinghu delegation, the speakers and all participants for their valuable contributions.

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CPO & Partners at CIIE 2025, Shanghai

Once again this year, the CPO & Partners team attended the China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai — one of the world’s key events for trade and innovation.
Our team’s on-site participation as professional visitors offered valuable opportunities to connect with clients, partners, and industry peers, explore market developments, and strengthen strategic relationships within an ever-evolving international landscape.
An experience that reaffirms CPO & Partners’ commitment to staying closely aligned with China’s economic and industrial dynamics, fostering growth and collaboration between Italian and Chinese enterprises.