Internal working platform of Yunnan Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries

From November 19th to 20th, by The 3rd China-South Asia Cooperation Forum hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the Yunnan Provincial Government was held in Kunming, Yunnan. During the conference, China-South Asia Health Forum and the 2nd South Asia and Southeast Asia Medical Education and Health Alliance Conference, China-Indian Ocean Rim Think Tank Forum and other activities focused on issues in different fields in the region.

   Since 2019, the forum has been held offline again after 3 years. Friends from China, South Asian countries and Indian Ocean Rim countries have overcome many difficulties and are face to face again. The theme of the forum, "Take care of each other and promote common development in the region", shows the common expectations of both sides of the Himalayas and the common aspirations of mountains and seas. Inside and outside the forum venue, beside the beautiful Dianchi Lake, the voice of friendship and development can be heard everywhere.

  < strong>Mutual trust Friendship that stands the test of time

   Yunnan and South Asian countries are connected by mountains and rivers, facing each other by land and sea. It is a frontier province for cooperation between China and South Asia. In the venue, during the speeches of the guests from all parties, they all expressed emotion: "Our friendship has withstood the test of time." Everyone recalled the friendship stories between the two parties. More than 2,000 years ago, the Southern Silk Road and the Ancient Tea-Horse Road passed through Yunnan to connect China and South Asia; more than 600 years ago, Zheng He, a navigator from Yunnan, made seven voyages to the West and visited South Asian countries many times, writing an immortal chapter of the friendship between the two sides.

  Recent years In the future, a series of interconnection developments such as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, the Eighth Bridge of Friendship between China and Bangladesh, and the Pokhara International Airport in Nepal have written new footnotes for the story of regional friendship. Taking advantage of the high-quality joint construction of the "Belt and Road", Yunnan has accelerated the construction of China's radiation center for South and Southeast Asia, and has continuously expanded exchanges and cooperation with South Asian countries in various fields.

  10 During the past few years, the total trade volume between Yunnan and South Asian countries has tripled, and 6 pairs of sister cities have been established. The air routes basically cover the capitals and important tourist cities of South Asian countries. The China South Asia Technology Transfer Center has facilitated the landing of more than 80 international projects. Currently, there are more than 2,000 South Asian students studying in Yunnan.

   Sri Lanka Governor of Eastern Province Anuradha Yahanpat said that China is a great friend of Sri Lanka, and the exchanges between the two countries have a long history. As early as the Eastern Jin Dynasty, the Chinese eminent monk Fa Xian visited Sri Lanka and sowed the seeds of friendship between the two sides, which has continued to this day. Sri Lanka is rich in natural resources and tourism resources, and cooperates with Yunnan Province in skills training and cultural exchanges. "Mutual benefit" has always been the most important keyword in cooperation.

   Bangladesh Foreign Minister Abdul Momen said that as the country of honor of this year's South China Expo, Bangladesh has been committed to working with countries including China to promote common development of the regional economy. Since Bangladesh and China established a strategic cooperative partnership in 2016, exchanges and mutual learning between the two countries in various fields have continued to deepen. As one of the important passages of the Trans-Asian Railway, the Padma Bridge completed this year by the Bangladesh Railway Bureau and China Railway Group Co., Ltd. is the latest achievement of the cooperation between the two countries. Bring new cooperation opportunities.

  difficult , challenges, and also the touchstone of friendship between China and South Asia. Representatives from Pakistan mentioned the recent floods and expressed their gratitude to China for extending a helping hand. Participants from various countries said that whether in the face of natural disasters or global challenges such as the epidemic, China has always stood firmly with South Asian countries. When the epidemic hit, China shared its anti-epidemic experience as soon as possible, and immediately launched an action plan to support South Asia's anti-epidemic, helping South Asian brothers fight the epidemic and protect lives.

  < strong>Cooperation Going forward side by side for the future

  The China-South Asia Cooperation Forum has already become an important institutional platform for dialogue, exchange and cooperation among regional countries, and more and more countries around the Indian Ocean have joined the forum for exchange and dialogue . Representatives from countries in Southeast Asia, South Asia, West Asia, East Africa, and Southern Africa actively joined hands to explore new growth points for future cooperation.

  India Subir Chakrabarti, chairman of the West Bengal Federation of Industry and Commerce, said that in recent years, India-China trade has flourished, and companies from both countries are looking forward to closer business ties. "Take my own company, Exide Industries, as one of the largest battery manufacturers in India. The company has signed a lithium battery manufacturing cooperation agreement with a Chinese company, and has built a factory in China, which is planned to be put into production in 2024. In the future, through With the platform of the South China Expo, India and China will continue to strengthen cooperation in sustainable development, clean energy applications, and addressing climate change.” He said sincerely.

  " Yunnan Province and South Asian countries are not only geographically close, but also have similar climate and cultural traditions, and have great potential for cooperation in the fields of trade, investment, education, and people-to-people and cultural exchanges." Nepalese Ambassador to China Bishnu Shreis said that Nepal hopes to continue to strengthen cooperation with Cooperation in tourism and education in Yunnan Province. The two sides have opened direct flights, and many tourists from Yunnan travel to Nepal, and Nepalese students also have the opportunity to study in universities in Yunnan. "I believe that this forum can continue to gather strength and contribute to the further deepening of cooperation between China and South Asian countries."

  Rong Ying, vice president of the China Institute of International Studies, pointed out that there are many countries in the Indian Ocean Rim region, with vast markets and huge potential for cooperation. China is an integral part of the Indian Ocean Rim region and one of the earliest dialogue partners of the Indian Ocean Rim Alliance (IORA). China has carried out in-depth cooperation with relevant countries in many fields. "Yunnan has a long history of exchanges with South Asian countries in history. In the future, I hope Yunnan will play a more important role in promoting exchanges and cooperation with Indian Ocean Rim countries." Rong Ying expressed his expectations.

  epidemic After the outbreak, everyone also expects the region to develop in a greener and healthier direction, and to gather strength for the construction of a human health and health community. Ni Huifang, vice president of the China Education Association for International Exchange and president of the Yunnan Education Association for International Exchange, introduced that in 2019, universities in Yunnan and Shanghai joined hands with all parties to build the South Asia and Southeast Asia Medical Education and Healthcare Alliance. In the past 3 years, the "circle of friends" has continued to expand. "I hope that all member units will deepen cooperation in the fields of medical education, health and other fields in the future, enhance the well-being of the people in the region, work together to build a community of human health and health, and protect the bright future of mankind."

   Universities such as Cambodia and Thailand also shared with regional parties about the Thinking about online innovation and coping with changing situations. "In the context of the epidemic, the medical education model is also changing. We can strengthen the use of emerging technologies such as the Internet and virtual reality, and carry out online education, which can help doctors make more accurate medical diagnoses." President of Mahidol University, Thailand, Professor Banchong Mahayisawariya said.

  Cambodia Professor Saffron Watana, president and professor of the University of Health Sciences, believes that "cloud" cooperation and online cooperation platforms can help universities in regional countries achieve more resource sharing. In the future, digital means will bring vitality to regional exchanges and cooperation, and it is believed that regional cooperation will also become closer. (Written by the Foreign Affairs Office of Yunnan Province)