Zhang Quan, director general of XMFAO, holds talks and exchanges with the delegation. [Photo/WeChat account of XMFAO]
Wang Xiaojun, trust fund director of the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC), led a delegation to Xiamen from March 20 to 21, accompanied by officials from the China International Center for Economic and Technical Exchanges (CICETE). Zhang Quan, the director general of the Foreign Affairs Office of Xiamen Municipal People's Government, held discussions with the delegation, highlighting Xiamen’s unique resources and best practices in global South-South cooperation.
Wang acknowledged Xiamen's strong support for South-South cooperation projects and expressed optimism for further collaboration in project collaboration and experience sharing. Both sides agreed to leverage UNOSSC's network to facilitate connection with various UN agencies, enabling Xiamen to engage more effectively with global partners under the China-UN South-South Cooperation Support Mechanism.
During the visit to Xiamen, the delegation explored key initiatives including the BRICS Partnership on New Industrial Revolution Innovation Center, where they examined Xiamen's cooperation with BRICS and "BRICS+" initiatives, as well as the local practices of global development initiatives. They also engaged with representatives from the Xiamen BRICS Office, Xiamen King Long Motor Group, and Xiamen Innovax Biotech Co Ltd, discussing how the global South-South network can support the construction and international development of the BRICS Innovation Base.
Additionally, the delegation conducted on-site inspections at the Xiamen Cardiovascular Hospital Xiamen University to learn about the Heart Sapling Visiting Scholar Program and the hospital's external exchanges and collaborations.
The 240-hour visa-free transit policy, which has led to a surge in interest among prospective tourists, is a clear sign of China's continued opening-up and has been included in this year's Government Work Report.
China's National Immigration Administration on Monday announced a visa-free policy for tourist groups from ASEAN countries visiting Xishuangbanna in Southwest China's Yunnan province.
