The opening ceremony of the 2024 C&D Xiamen Marathon on Jan 7. [Photo/WeChat account: XIAMENFAO]
Thirty-eight individuals from Xiamen's international sister cities, including Mokpo in the Republic of Korea (ROK), Penang in Malaysia, and Wellington in New Zealand, as well as the international friendly exchange city of Pyeongtaek in ROK, visited Xiamen from Jan 5 to 9.
One of the events they participated in was the 2024 C&D Xiamen Marathon.
The marathon participants from Xiamen's sister cities and international friendly exchange city embarked on the Xiamen marathon with great enthusiasm, showcasing their resilient and optimistic spirits.
Among the participants were four athletes from Penang who completed the marathon within three hours. Meanwhile, a Wellington couple joined forces to not only participate in the Xiamen marathon but also surpass their individual best records.
Yao Jianhong, deputy director general of the Foreign Affairs Office of Xiamen Municipal People's Government, attended the event on Jan 7 and interacted guests and participants.
Participants praised the efforts made by Xiamen in organizing high-level international events and developing itself into a modern and internationally renowned city with a high-quality and attractive environment.
This is the first time since the pandemic that major cities with which Xiamen regularly communicates with have sent representatives to participate in a physical event. This was the 13th time participants from Mokpo and Penang, and the 12th time participants from Pyeongtaek had formed delegations to visit Xiamen.
China has launched a new pilot program to allow eligible enterprises greater access to overseas financing in support of green and low-carbon transformation projects, the country's foreign exchange regulator said on Aug 21.
To further streamline the experience, China is expanding tax refund stores, broadening the range of refundable goods, and refining refund procedures, ensuring an efficient and seamless shopping experience for global visitors.
