On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Brazil, the 19th G20 Summit will be held in Rio de Janeiro (hereinafter referred to as "Rio"), the second largest city in Brazil.
Before the official opening of the summit, at 13:00 local time on November 15th, the U20 City Forum's Aerotropolis Theme Event "Aerotropolis: A Path to Future Urban Prosperity" kicked off in Maua Square at the heart of Rio de Janeiro. As the spotlight event, the Zhengzhou Airport Economy Zone(ZAEZ) made an eye-catching appearance as an invited guest, ushering in a notable "Henan breeze" along the Atlantic coast.
The ZAEZ attracts global attention
The U20 City Forum is one of the series of events at the G20 Summit, jointly organized by C40 Cities, the World Cities and Local Governments Alliance. It aims to emphasize the urban perspective and demands, enhancing the significance of urban development in the G20 agenda. This forum is hosted by Rio and São Paulo from November 13 to 17.
On such an international stage, Zhengzhou Airport has been pushed to the "center stage".
The forum was chaired by John Kasarda, the creator of the Aerotropolis model and a professor in University of North Carolina in the United States. He specifically introduced the experience of Zhengzhou Airport, "China's Aerotropolis", and the inspiration and reflection that Chinese wisdom could bring to Rio.
Guo Peng, Deputy Secretary of the Party Working Committee and Deputy Director of the Management Committee of the ZAEZ, delivered a 15-minute speech in English on the topic "The Evolution of China's Aerotropolis." Guo introduced how the ZAEZhas achieved development in investment, foreign trade, talent, and other areas by implementing the aerotropolis strategy. He envisioned a bright future connecting the two enormous markets through the "Silk Road in the air", earning rounds of warm applause.
How to build the Rio Aerotropolis?
André Bandeira, the main developer of Rio Galeão Aerocity (Aldeya), stated that deep cooperation among global aerotropolises is a strategy for future inter-city development. There is a broad space for cooperation between Rio and Zhengzhou.
Gustavo Guerrant, President of Rio de Janeiro's platform company-Companhia Carioca de Parceriase Investimentos (CCPAR), stated that the development experience of Zhengzhou Airport is very enlightening for Rio.
The Rio Government has also signedthe Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Aerotropoliswith the ZAEZManagement Committee, agreeing that both parties will carry out mutually beneficialcooperation in key areas such assustainable development initiatives, infrastructure enhancement, and the research and production of pharmaceuticalsand medical equipment.
Good practices from the ZAEZ, shared globally
As the only airport economy zone approved by the State Council in the country, the ZAEZ has forged a new path of development for inland areas since its establishment in 2013,transforming the former airport town of less than 20 square kilometers into an international aerotropolis with an area of 747 square kilometers.
The development of the ZAEZ has attracted great attention from Rio.
According to the manager of Zhengzhou Aerotropolis Research Institute Co., Ltd., Rio regards the ZAEZ as "China's Aerotropolis" and hopes to learn from its construction experience to develop their own aerotropolis. They aim to establishdual hubs of the "Silk Road in the air" between the ZAEZ and Rio, strengthening industrial cooperation and economic trade between the two cities.
In March of this year, Rio made its first contact with the ZAEZ through its old friend Professor John Kasarda, expressing its willingness to cooperate.
Next, the ZAEZ actively connects with Rio, establishing a cooperative relationship, promoting win-win cooperation between the two hubs, as well as participating in dialogues and negotiations for events such as the U20 City Summit's aerotropolis-themed activities.
On September 14th, Eduardo Paes, the Mayor of Rio, officiallyextended an invitation to the leaders of the ZAEZ to attend the forum and give speeches, while discussing the future of urban development with global mayors, former mayors, and opinion leaders in urban development.
This finally brought the "Henan breeze" into Rio.
"Standing on the international stage to share the development experience, we feel very proud," said Guo Peng. He mentioned that the ZAEZ is planning to establish a BRICS Aerotropolis Alliance, continuously enhancing itsopenness to the outside world. By building a benchmark of global significance known as "Aerotropolis 4.0", the ZAEZ aims to promote all-round collaboration in innovation, industrial, supply, and talent chains for high-quality development.
