1. Xiamen, Cardiff discuss further cooperation
The foreign affairs office of Xiamen city in East China's Fujian province on Jan 5 held a video conference with Cardiff, the capital city of Wales in the United Kingdom.
The two sides discussed recent exchanges and cooperation plans and their celebration activities for the upcoming 40th anniversary of their sister-city relations in 2023.
Lin Na, vice-president of the Xiamen Municipal People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, chaired the conference. She said Cardiff was the very first sister city of Xiamen, with the two having established friendly relations in 1983.
Lin added that the two cities had achieved mutually benefits and win-win results in various areas over the years. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the two had actively carried out online exchange activities.
After a preliminary exchange of views during the video conference, the two sides decided to hold international friendship concerts, photo exhibitions and to expand their existing cooperation in the film and television industry to celebrate the 40th anniversary.
Representatives of Xiamen City University and Cardiff and Vale College also exchanged views on progress and plans for their cooperative education projects in aircraft maintenance, animation designs and hotel management.
2. Xiamen FAO gets thumbs-up from Japanese group
Nobuo Ohashi, general manager of Electric Glass (Xiamen) Co, on Jan 18 visited the foreign affairs office of Xiamen city – in East China's Fujian province – for its strong support and the quality services provided to his company.
Kong Suting, deputy director of the office, received the delegation led by Ohashi.
Ohashi thanked the foreign affairs office for its strong support for the normal operations of the company during the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said that the office had provided efficient services to ensure that foreign experts and technicians in urgent need of the company could obtain an invitation letter to China at the fastest speed and arrive in Xiamen smoothly.
This was the second time Ohashi visited the Xiamen foreign affairs office within half a year. In August 2021, he presented a flag of thanks to the office.
3. Xiamen, Netanya establish sister-city relations
Xiamen city in East China's Fujian province and the city of Netanya in Israel signed an agreement on Jan 18 to establish sister-city relations. Xiamen Mayor Huang Wenhui and Netanya Mayor Miriam Feirberg Ikar attended the online signing ceremony.
In his speech, Huang said that although Xiamen and Netanya were far away from each other, they shared many similarities. Both cities were famous tourist cities with a warm and comfortable climate, unique natural scenery and cultural resources – and both were hot spots for innovation, entrepreneurship and booming high-tech industries.
Ikar said that Xiamen and Netanya had broad cooperation space in high-tech industries and in other fields. She hoped that with the establishment of sister-city relations, the two could further strengthen their cooperation in various areas.
Netanya is located in the central part of Israel, 30 kilometers north of Tel Aviv-Yafo, a cultural and commercial center in Israel. It boasts a pleasant climate and has a 14-km coastline, with many well-known beaches on the Mediterranean Sea.
4. Xiamen's vice-mayor meets Uruguay ambassador
Zhuang Rongliang, vice-mayor of Xiamen city in East China's Fujian province, met with Fernando Lugris, Uruguay's ambassador to China and Martin Alvez, consul general of Uruguay in Guangzhou, in Xiamen on Jan 24.
During their meeting, Zhuang gave a briefing on Xiamen's development. He said that since the establishment of the Xiamen Special Economic Zone 40 years ago, remarkable historical changes had taken place there. The city is now an important window for China's opening-up, he added.
Zhuang also noted that Xiamen's foreign trade with Uruguay experienced a boom last year, with the total value surging 124.6 percent, reaching 1.73 billion yuan ($271.89 million).
He urged both sides to boost their existing cooperation in commerce, trade, culture, education and sports.
Lugris spoke highly of the achievements Xiamen had made over the past four decades. He said Uruguay had obvious advantages in aquaculture and mineral resources and was highly complementary to Xiamen's industries.
He hoped that the two sides could enhance exchanges and deepen their cooperation in a wider range of areas and achieve win-win development.
China announced and implemented on May 15 a policy allowing visa-free entry of foreign tourist groups aboard cruise ships via all cruise ship ports along the country's coastline.
China and Georgia are set to waive visa requirements for travelers starting May 28.
