Sister cities boost trade and investment co-operation through Belt and Road initiative
Sister cities boost trade and investment co-operation through Belt and Road initiative
Kunming: Representatives from Kunming of China, Vientiane of Laos, Chiang Mai of Thailand, Grasse of France, Juvaskyla of Finland, Kuching South City of Malaysia, Pokhara of Nepal and Yangon of Myanmar gathered in Kunming, China on Tuesday (June 13) to consult cooperation on trade and investment along the Belt and Road initiative.
Representatives from foreign consulates in Kunming, professionals of outstanding Chinese and foreign companies in insurance, finance and legal industries, and media representatives from China, Laos and other relevant countries were invited to participate at the Kunming international sister cities cooperation and development seminar.
At the seminar, representatives carried out in-depth discussions on the theme of “Deepening economic and trade cooperation and exchanges and sharing opportunities brought by the Belt and Road initiative”.
“We agree that the Belt and Road Initiative is a road of peace, prosperity, opening up, innovation and connecting different civilizations as they explore new opportunities, seek new drivers and expand new space for development, draw on each other’s strength and deliver win-win results,” Vice Mayor of Kunming Municipal People’s Government, Mr Hong Weizhi announced at the seminar.
It would instil a new impetus into the cooperation and development of sister cities, he said.
“We have come to the consensus that the sister city relationships have provided a platform and carrier as well as guarantee for our economic and trade cooperation and exchanges and can improve the level of and lay a foundation for the development of sister cities in order to further promote the practical cooperation and development of sister cities,” Mr Hong said.
“We jointly propose the following initiative, firstly we will maintain regular communications at the government level.”
Secondly, “We will strengthen economic and trade cooperation and exchange at the enterprise level and thirdly, we will promote economic and trade cooperation and exchange at the non-government level,” Mr Hong stated.
While fourthly, “We will facilitate investment and trade and finally, we will establish a normalised sister city communication mechanism,” he added.
“We will hold the Kunming international sister cities cooperation and development seminar on a yearly basis to communicate on different themes and arrive at Kunming initiatives.”
The seminar will provide a communication platform so sister cities can achieve a mutually beneficial and win-win situation.
“We are convinced that in the Belt and Road construction, Kunming and sister cities will strengthen friendship, build more consensus and enhance cooperation, which will certainly drive a more in-depth sister cities cooperation and improve the well being of the people,” he reported.
