News Share (Feb 1-28)

1. Xiamen, Guadalajara light shows celebrate China-Mexico ties

Xiamen city in East China's Fujian province and its sister city of Guadalajara in Mexico both held light shows on the night of Feb 14, local time, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Sino-Mexican diplomatic relations – with best wishes jointly sent to the then ongoing Beijing Winter Olympics.

Xiamen lit up the Xiamen Shimao Straits Tower, while Guadalajara illuminated more than 10 famous historical and cultural buildings – including the Plaza Tapatia and the Plaza de Armas.

The event was organized by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the Mexican embassy in China. Some 15 pairs of sister cities, provinces and states – including Xiamen and Guadalajara – which have made active contributions to exchanges between China and Mexico, were invited to participate in the light shows.

Since their sister-city relationship was forged in August 2003, Xiamen and Guadalajara have conducted fruitful exchanges and cooperation in such fields as commerce and trade, and culture and tourism. 

The International Youth Friendly Exchange Concert last year, using music as a common language, further boosted the friendship between the two cities.

2. Xiamen, Fortaleza stage video conference

In order to further boost mutual understanding between Xiamen city in East China's Fujian province and the city of Fortaleza in Brazil – and to expand exchanges and cooperation between the two – the Xiamen Foreign Affairs Office on Feb 18 staged a video conference.

Lin Na, vice-president of the Xiamen Municipal People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, chaired the event. She said that Xiamen and Fortaleza had much in common, a fact that had facilitated their broad cooperation.

She urged the foreign affairs offices of the two sides to promote – under the framework of the BRICS Partnership on New Industrial Revolution Innovation Center – cooperative projects in talent training, culture, art, sports and municipal management.

At the conference, experts from interested municipal departments in the two cities shared and exchanged experiences and innovative practices on solid waste treatment and establishing garden cities, among others.

3. Xiamen FAO officials visit local enterprises

A delegation led by Zhang Quan, secretary of the Party leadership group and director general of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Municipal Government of Xiamen visited Xiamen Airlines and Taikoo (Xiamen) Aircraft Engineering Co Ltd on Feb 17.

At Xiamen Airlines, Zhang held talks with Huang Guohui, the company's deputy general manager.

He told the meeting the airline had played a key role in the high-quality development of Xiamen's foreign affairs work – including the reception of foreign guests and the international transport of anti-epidemic materials.

The consensus was that the Xiamen Foreign Affairs Office, together with Xiamen Airlines, would cooperate in work relating to sister cities, non-governmental diplomacy, commerce and trade and attracting more investment, Zhang added.

At Taikoo (Xiamen) Aircraft Engineering Co Ltd, Zhang gained a detailed understanding of the company's production and operation under the COVID-19 pandemic. 

It is understood that more than 90 percent of Taikoo's core maintenance business comes from overseas, so there is a large demand for personnel entering and leaving the country. The meeting there heard that the epidemic had brought severe challenges to its business development.

Jiang Yida, president of the company, expressed his heartfelt thanks to the Xiamen Foreign Affairs Office for its professional and accurate services – and for helping Taikoo to invite pilots and aircraft engineers in urgent need to enter the country.    

4. Xiamen Port helps city's international development

Xiamen Port is understood to be moving to help out with the international development of the city of Xiamen, located in East China's Fujian province.

To facilitate this, Zhang Quan, secretary of the Party leadership group and director general of the Xiamen Municipal Foreign Affairs Office, visited the Xiamen Port Authority on Feb 21.

The aim was to help promote international business and general cooperation in trade and commerce, culture, education and ports – as well as to boost the development of the BRICS Partnership on New Industrial Revolution Innovation Center.

Zhang thanked the port authority for its long-term support and contribution to Xiamen's foreign affairs during his visit. He said that currently Xiamen Port was connected directly to 15 international friendly ports, which were very important to the city's opening-up.

Zhang also put forward some suggestions on promoting the internationalization and modernization of Xiamen Port. They included continuing to expand the international friendly port network, innovate forms of exchanges under the COVID-19 pandemic, expand the content of exchanges and improve the effectiveness of receiving visits from foreign countries.

Xia Changwen, director of the Xiamen Port Authority, expressed his hope that Xiamen Port would continue to receive strong support and help from the municipal foreign affairs office – especially in the process of upgrading and strengthening its status as an international transit port.