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.

China: more open, more connected

The visa-free transit policy has been expanded to 240 hours – now valid in 65 ports in 24 provinces – and extended until 31 December 2026 (was expiring on 31 December 2025) the policy of exemption from visa with possibility of entry in China Mainland without visa for a period of 30 days, for over 40 countries, among which France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands and Spain, with Sweden that will be added to the list starting from 10 November.

A strong signal of the country’s commitment towards facilitating international mobility, strengthening global connectivity, and supporting inbound tourism and business exchanges.

Zilmet Jiaxing Grand Opening

On October 29th, 2025, the new Zilmet Jiaxing Plant officially opened in the Jiaxing Nanhu High-Tech Zone, marking an important milestone for the Italian group UGO BENETTOLO S.p.A. and for the strengthening of industrial cooperation between Italy and China.

The new facility, covering 15,000 square meters and built with a total investment of USD 45 million, is equipped with advanced production lines for expansion tanks and plate heat exchangers, reinforcing Zilmet’s position as a global leader in high-end pressure vessel manufacturing.

The opening ceremony was attended by Zilmet Group President Paolo Benettolo, Zilmet Jiaxing Executive Director Marco Gottardello, Consul General of Italy in Shanghai Tiziana D’Angelo, institutional leaders from Jiaxing City and Nanhu District, and representatives from leading companies such as Bosch, Haier and Vanward.

CPO & Partners, which has supported Zilmet throughout its establishment and operations in China, is proud to share this important achievement and to continue assisting Italian companies in their international expansion projects.

Congratulations to Zilmet for this new chapter of growth and innovation in China.

Italy Monza Event – Industrial Park Zhaoqing

The delegation of the Zhaoqing Industrial Park presented its investment opportunities at the Sporting Club in Monza, during a meeting that brought together Italian entrepreneurs and companies interested in strengthening ties with China.
The event concluded with a buffet dinner, providing a valuable occasion for networking and direct exchange between the Chinese delegation and Italian business representatives.
An initiative that highlights the importance of dialogue and international cooperation, opening new perspectives for collaboration between the two countries.