News Share (July 16-31)

1. Foreign envoys get closer look at Xiamen development

A delegation of foreign envoys to China visited Xiamen city in East China's Fujian province on July 13-14 on the occasion of the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China and at the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The delegation was accompanied by Wu Hongbo, special representative of the Chinese government for European affairs.

Zhao Long, Party secretary of Xiamen city met the delegation on the evening of July 13, with Wu Hongbo and Xiamen Mayor Huang Wenhui attending.

Zhao talked about the city's development, especially achievements made during more than 40 years of reforms and its opening-up.

Samoa's Ambassador to China Tapusalaia Terry Toomata, the head of the delegation, said he looked forward to strengthening exchanges and cooperation with Xiamen in the fields of trade, investment, tourism and education.    

The delegation was composed of foreign envoys from 22 countries including Samoa, Tonga, Benin, Albania, Somalia, Burkina Faso and Laos. 

The delegation visited Yundang Lake, Gulangyu Island, the offices of Tianma Microelectronics and other sites – getting a close look at the city's achievements, cultural heritage and scientific and technological innovation.

2. Xiamen vice-mayor visits Brazil, Russia embassies in China

Huang Xiaozhou, vice-mayor of Xiamen city – located in East China's Fujian province – on July 22 visited Brazil's and Russia's embassies in Beijing.

He held discussions with Paulo Estivallet de Mesquita, Brazil's ambassador to China and Alexey Dakhnovsky, Russia's trade representative to China.

Huang talked about the BRICS Partnership on New Industrial Revolution innovation center located in Xiamen and held talks in the areas of policy coordination, talent training and project development.

Since the BRICS Xiamen Summit in 2017, Xiamen has witnessed increasingly close personnel and economic and trade exchanges with BRICS countries. The city has been actively expanding friendly relations with Fortaleza in Brazil and Kazan in Russia, along with other cities, Huang said.

Paulo Estivallet de Mesquita said that since the establishment of the BRICS Partnership on New Industrial Revolution innovation center, Xiamen had made great efforts to promote friendly exchanges and cooperation channels with Brazil and these had achieved positive results.

He said that Brazil wanted to expand cooperation with Xiamen in epidemic prevention and control measures and technology, in port management and in customs clearance facilitation, among other things.

Meanwhile, Alexey Dakhnovsky said that the Russian Embassy would support exchanges and cooperation between Xiamen and Russia in the fields of culture, education, investment and trade, as well as in the development of the BRICS Partnership on New Industrial Revolution innovation center.

Li Xiaoping, the director of the Foreign Affairs Office of Xiamen, also attended the meetings.  

3. Xiamen, Indonesia's Surabaya city hold video conference

The Foreign Affairs Office of Xiamen – located in East China's Fujian province – along with the municipal education bureau, the culture and tourism bureau and the Chamber of International Commerce Xiamen, held a video conference with their counterparts in the municipal government of the city of Surabaya in Indonesia on July 23.

The event was held to promote increased commercial relations between the two sides, especially in education, tourism and trade.    

Lin Na, executive vice-president of the Xiamen Municipal People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, attended the conference and said that Xiamen and Surabaya have had close and frequent exchanges since they established sister-city relations 15 years ago.

Eri Cahyadi, mayor of Surabaya, specially recorded a video for the 15th anniversary, which fully demonstrates the great importance the Surabaya government attaches to the friendly relations with Xiamen.