Shanghai Public Relations Association Holds Strategy Meeting to Chart New Blueprint for High-Quality Development in 2026
On January 22, 2026, the Shanghai Public Relations Association convened its annual strategy meeting for 2026, centered on the core theme of "Consolidating Foundations, Accumulating Strength." The meeting comprehensively reviewed the year's work outcomes, conducted an in-depth analysis of the development landscape, unified consensus, and clarified the direction and key tasks for the new year. Representatives from the Association's Party Working Group, Executive Committee, supervisory chairperson, some vice presidents, as well as leaders of direct and branch institutions, gathered together. Focusing on the meeting's theme and using "Member Year" as a key phrase, they engaged in profound discussions from various perspectives to advance the Association's high-quality development, offering numerous constructive opinions and suggestions to plan and energize the work for 2026.
Executive Vice President Zhou Ping presided over the meeting. Vice President and Secretary-General Du Zhizhong summarized the work of 2025 from eight aspects: strengthening Party building leadership, inheriting and innovating brand activities, promoting alliance work, expanding regional exchanges and cultural dissemination, participating in legislative consultations of the National People's Congress, conducting people-to-people diplomacy to tell China's story well, enhancing member services, and successfully establishing the Association as a Shanghai 5A-level social organization.
In his speech, President Sha Hailin pointed out that the Association had achieved remarkable results over the past year, with continuously growing membership cohesion and influence. He attributed this success to four core factors: First, consistently aligning with the requirements of the central authorities and the municipal Party committee, proactively raising political awareness, internalizing the philosophy of "exchanging information, enhancing understanding, strengthening connections, and promoting cooperation" along with the "Three Services" orientation into conscious action, and actively seeking leadership support and guidance. Second, having a group of key members with a deep sense of national commitment, dedication, and rich experience, who tackled challenges with precision and demonstrated a high sense of responsibility and mission. Third, receiving comprehensive support from the Municipal United Front Work Department, the Civil Affairs Bureau, as well as local units and related institutions such as the Lujiazui Financial City Administration and the Tangqiao Subdistrict Party Working Committee, which provided solid guarantees for the work. Fourth, leveraging the Association's long-accumulated material foundation and brand advantages, which have continuously enhanced its influence and laid a strong foundation for the efficient advancement of various tasks.
Against the backdrop of current domestic and international developments, the advancement of Chinese modernization, and the launch of the 15th Five-Year Plan, President Sha identified seven areas for further improvement in the Association's development: Membership work still needs strengthening, and the membership foundation must be further consolidated. The working mechanisms must adapt more quickly to new situations and requirements, and the platform function for integrating social resources needs optimization. Proactivity in responding to social hot topics and guiding public opinion needs enhancement. Continuous self-improvement is required to better serve the central tasks of the municipal Party committee and government. Long-term plans and specific measures for cultivating young key members need refinement. Internal management must continue to be strengthened, and work procedures further standardized. Efforts to enhance the learning awareness, ideological and professional levels of all members must be intensified.
President Sha emphasized two core priorities for the work in 2026: First, opening up and empowering to activate internal driving forces for development. Focusing on expanding membership scale, optimizing membership structure, and improving member service quality, the Association should uphold an open and inclusive philosophy, break down industry barriers, and actively recruit influential enterprises and related institutions from various sectors. Through measures to "develop a group, activate a group, and optimize a group," the Association will strengthen its force, enhance member cohesion and engagement, and truly implement the principle of "serving members and relying on members." Second, meticulously preparing for the series of activities marking the Association's 40th anniversary and other brand events. This involves systematically reviewing the 40-year development journey of the Shanghai Public Relations Association, inheriting and promoting the historical mission of China's public relations advancing in tandem with reform and opening-up, distilling the "Shanghai experience" from Shanghai's public relations practices, and forming theoretical achievements and practical models that can serve as references.
To ensure the effective implementation of all plans, President Sha further outlined specific requirements: First, detailing plans and solidifying responsibilities. The "blueprint" should be swiftly transformed into an "action plan," with clear task assignments, timelines, and responsible entities, along with project advancement schedules to ensure progress and quality. Second, coordinating planning and advancing work in an orderly manner. An annual work schedule should be developed, reasonably coordinating important activities such as the China-Ireland Literature Academic Exchange Seminar, the 40th-anniversary commemorative events, A River Dialogue, and international forums to avoid year-end congestion. Third, diligently carrying out year-end and beginning-of-year tasks, including visits and condolences, compiling collections of exemplary cases, organizing institutional exchange activities, and preparing for the fourth membership congress of the ninth session, striving for quality and efficiency in all endeavors.
In his concluding remarks, President Sha noted that this strategy meeting was characterized by its focus on core issues, high-level perspectives, in-depth thinking, pragmatic suggestions, and broad vision. It achieved important consensus on "integrating problem orientation, demand orientation, and goal orientation," "consolidating foundations hinges on members," and "implementing plans relies on action."
President Sha expressed hope that the Association would take this meeting as a new starting point, leveraging the "Member Year" and the commemoration of its 40th anniversary to strengthen responsibility, rigorously implement work, and propel the Association to take greater strides on the new journey of high-quality development. He emphasized the need to always advance in sync with national development and urban construction, contributing greater strength to the development of Shanghai's public relations and the modernization of social governance.