Yunnan Provincial People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries

On March 1, the Provincial Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries held a working meeting of the province's friendship cities in Kunming.Wang Yu, the full-time vice president of the Provincial Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, made a speech, summarizing the achievements and experience in 2022, analyzing the mission and opportunities facing non-governmental diplomacy, and deploying the work in 2023.A total of more than 50 representatives attended the meeting and conducted group discussions, including persons in charge of foreign affairs offices of 16 cities and counties and districts with international sister cities.At the meeting, the three cities of Kunming, Lijiang and Xishuangbanna made speeches on experience exchange.The Foreign Affairs Offices of inland cities (Associations for Friendship with Foreign Countries) and the Foreign Affairs Offices of border cities (Associations for Friendship with Foreign Countries) respectively paired up and signed 7 cooperation agreements.

The meeting pointed out that in 2022, under the strong leadership of the Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial Government, with the support of the party group of the Provincial Foreign Affairs Office, and with the joint efforts of the friendship association systems of all states (cities), the province's friendship association system will firmly grasp the opportunity of the "year of promoting civil diplomacy" Focusing on the two major engines of urban diplomacy and people-to-people diplomacy, forge ahead in unity, overcome difficulties, build a mechanism platform, create a bright brand, open up international friendship cities, and tell the story of Yunnan, which effectively serves the overall situation of the country's peripheral diplomacy, the construction of radiation centers and the whole country. Provincial economic and social development.The meeting read out Lin Songtian, president of the National Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, who commended the work of the Yunnan Provincial Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, fully affirmed the achievements made in 2022, boosted morale, and strengthened the confidence to do a good job in this year's work.

The meeting emphasized that CPAFFC is an important force in people-to-people diplomacy.At present, the world's major changes unseen in a century are accelerating, and the basic role of people-to-people diplomacy has become more prominent and its strategic significance has become more prominent.Yunnan has unique advantages in location, resources, openness, and connections to carry out people-to-people diplomacy with neighboring countries. Under the policy guidance and institutional support of the central and local governments, it is the right time to innovate and carry out people-to-people diplomacy in the new era, and there is great potential.In 2023, the Provincial Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries has made a good start in promoting the work of friendship cities in the province with the aggressive attitude of "the beginning is a decisive battle, and the beginning is a sprint". Play a role and work together with the cities and municipalities to improve the system and mechanism construction of friendship associations, implement the "three batches" requirements of friendship cities, create brand projects, strengthen international communication capabilities, and build a new work pattern of friendship associations. "Work hard.

In order to integrate resources, leverage each other, jointly build international friendship cities, jointly build talent teams, share experience and information, and promote the high-quality development of the province's friendship associations and friendship cities, the Provincial Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries has carried out innovative work, actively guiding and promoting Lijiang City-Lincang City, Dali Prefecture-Baoshan City, Xishuangbanna Prefecture-Zhaotong City, Chuxiong Prefecture-Dehong Prefecture, Wenshan Prefecture-Yuxi City, Qujing City-Honghe Prefecture Foreign Affairs Office, and heads of friendship associations signed friendly joint construction agreements respectively, Kunming, Yuxi, Puer 4 foreign affairs offices (Associations for Friendship with Foreign Countries), including Xishuangbanna and Xishuangbanna, signed agreements on foreign affairs coordination and cooperation in four states (cities) along the China-Laos Railway.