The delegation members visit Sea World. [Photo/WeChat account: XIAMENFAO]
A delegation of 14 young politicians from European parties, led by James O'Connor, Fianna Fail TD, Convenor of Ireland-China Parliamentary Friendship Group, Ireland, visited Xiamen from June 22 to 24.
The delegation aimed to learn about Xiamen's ecological practices, high-quality urban development, and green development initiatives. Delegation members included young politicians and think tank scholars from five European countries: Ireland, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and the United Kingdom.
Li Huiyue, deputy Party secretary of Xiamen, welcomed the visiting delegation and introduced the economic and social development of Xiamen. He explained that Xiamen has a high degree of openness, a solid industrial foundation, and an excellent business environment.
Li emphasized that young people are an important force in international exchanges and expressed hope that the delegation members would take the opportunity to explore Xiamen, enhance mutual understanding, and learn from each other.
O'Connor said that the visit to Xiamen had left a deep impression on him. He stated that the delegation would use this visit as a springboard to actively promote practical cooperation between their respective cities and Xiamen in areas such as environmental protection, marine economy, and trade and investment, fostering mutual development.
During the visit, members of the delegation said that their trip to Xiamen was highly inspiring and exceeded their expectations. They praised Xiamen's beautiful environment, high-quality development, and high standard of living.
The delegation members stated that upon returning to their home countries, they would actively promote connections between relevant departments, enterprises, and universities in the fields of environmental protection, marine economy, and port logistics with counterparts in Xiamen.
Leaders of China and Malaysia support the ongoing efforts on visa exemption to promote friendly relations, a joint statement on deepening the two countries' comprehensive strategic partnership said on June 20.
China will include Australia in the list of unilateral visa-free countries, Premier Li Qiang said on June 17.