Hans Mayer, an honorary citizen of Xiamen and secretary of the Friend of Xiamen Foundation in the city’s sister city of Zoetermeer, recently visited Xiamen alongside Wang Tao, secretary general of the Sino-Euro Foundation.
The pair visited Li Xiaoping, who was recently appointed as the director of Foreign and Overseas Chinese Affairs Office in Xiamen Municipal Government (XMFOCA).
Li introduced the latest developments and construction work of the Xiamen consulate general area and invited Hans Mayer and Wang Tao to establish a Netherlands visa center there.
Li invited Zoetermeer's middle high school football teams to take part in Xiamen's international youth football summer camp and "sister city cup” youth football invitational. Li also recommended Hans to attend the upcoming Xiamen International Investment & Trade fair with his Netherlands economic and trade delegation in September.
Hans expressed interest in Li’s proposals and recommendations, and both sides probed the development opportunities of the Xiamen-Netherlands center, youth football exchanges and Xiamen's 13th five-year plan (2016-2020).
Yan Zhiping, deputy director of the Xiamen International Chamber of Commerce, met with the delegation. Hans Mayer and Wang Tao introduced the Xiamen-Netherlands Center project to Yan, aiming to enhance mutual cooperation in areas of economic and trade development.
Yan said that the project is an excellent platform and Xiamen International Chamber of Commerce will spare no effort to promote the mutual exchange and cooperation between Xiamen and the Netherlands.
Yan invited Zoetermeer to join as a member of the "Import Commodity Exhibition and Sales Center", who will be set up in Haicang district, Xiamen.
In addition, Hans talked with Yan on the feasibility of the establishment of the commerce chamber's liaison office in Zoetermeer.
The delegation also visited the Xiamen sports and education bureau, to share opinions and experience on sending football coaches to the Netherlands for exchange and training, project of "orange pandas" and exchange between middle school students in Xiamen and Zoetermeer.
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.
