The opening ceremony of the photo exhibition is held on Sept 8. [Photo/WeChat account of XMFAO]
The Xiamen Friendship City Photo Exhibition 2024 Celebrating the Anniversaries of Friendship City Relations was unveiled at Hall C of the Xiamen International Conference and Exhibition Center on Sept 8.
The Foreign Affairs Office of the Xiamen Municipal People's Government and the Xiamen People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, in collaboration with international sister cities such as Sunshine Coast in Australia, Nice in France, and Durban in South Africa, jointly organized the exhibition.
The event was a reflection on the historical exchanges between international sister cities and pointed to a bright future of shared development.
Wang Chengquan, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the Xiamen Municipal People's Congress, stated that the photo exhibition showcased the diverse urban landscapes, cultural characteristics, and achievements of exchanges between international sister cities. It is hoped that the exhibition will further enhance mutual understanding among sister cities.
Jenny McKay, honorary citizen of Xiamen, said that within the framework of sister city relations, Sunshine Coast and Xiamen have carried out fruitful exchanges and achieved significant results in the fields of economy, culture, education, and arts.
Since the establishment of the first international sister city relationship with Cardiff, the United Kingdom in 1983, Xiamen has formed partnerships with 23 international sister cities, 19 international friendly exchange cities, and 18 international friendly ports.
From September to November, the photo exhibition will also be held at the Xiamen MIXC, Maritime Silk Road Central Legal District, Xiamen Library, Xiamen Youth and Children's Palace, and relevant universities.
China has decided to extend its visa waiver policy to ordinary passport holders from Canada and the United Kingdom starting from Feb 17.
Forty-one new port-of-entry duty-free shops have been established nationwide, with Xiamen Xiang'an International Airport, Xiamen Wutong Passenger Wharf, and Xiamen International Cruise Center included on the list.
