Internal working platform of Yunnan Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries

On July 9, to commemorate the 20th China's Maritime Day and the 619th anniversary of Zheng He's voyages to the West, and to enhance the friendship between Yunnan Province and the countries along the route of Zheng He's voyages to the West, the "Heart Connected Yunnan" series of activities to dialogue with Zheng He was held at Yunnan Vocational College of Transportation.

The event was themed "Telling Zheng He's story and carrying forward his spirit", and was hosted by the Yunnan Provincial Department of Transportation and the Yunnan Provincial People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, and co-organized by the Yunnan Provincial Navigation Administration, the Yunnan Zheng He Research Association, the Yunnan Vocational College of Transportation, and the Yunnan Radio and Television Lancang-Mekong International Satellite TV. About 150 people were invited to attend the event, including Huang Mingshan, Consul General of Vietnam in Kunming, Pawiwan, Consul General of Thailand in Kunming, and Rohaya, Deputy Consul of the Malaysian Consulate General in Kunming, experts and scholars in the field of Zheng He research at home and abroad, relevant provincial departments, and representatives of teachers and students.

At the opening ceremony, Ni Huifang, former vice chairman of the Yunnan Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and president of the Yunnan Education International Exchange Association, Xia Junsong, director of the Provincial Department of Transportation, Zhang Shijin, director of the Provincial Foreign Affairs Office and president of the Provincial Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, Paviwan, Consul General of Thailand in Kunming, and Gao Fayuan, president of the Yunnan Zheng He Research Association, delivered speeches.

Ni Huifang said that Zheng He's seven voyages to the West created a great feat in human maritime history, demonstrated the national spirit to the world, spread cultural civilization, promoted international exchanges, strengthened national unity, and wrote a magnificent chapter of good-neighborly friendship among peoples of all countries. It is a monument to friendly exchanges between China and foreign countries.

Xia Junsong said that the Provincial Department of Transportation uses transportation as a link to strengthen communication and cooperation with neighboring countries, continuously improve the level of "hard connectivity", enhance "soft connectivity capabilities", and shorten the distance of "heart connectivity". Yunnan is the hometown of Zheng He. We must carry out in-depth research on Zheng He, tell Zheng He's stories well, promote Zheng He's spirit, deepen good-neighborly friendship with neighboring countries, and contribute more transportation power to building a community with a shared future for mankind.

Zhang Shijin said that the "Heart-to-Heart Yunnan Tour" is a brand event of Yunnan Province's people-to-people diplomacy, and thanked all sectors of society for their active participation and cooperation. This event, through a "dialogue" with Zheng He, spanned thousands of years of history and perceived the development of the times; through learning experts and scholars' research on Zheng He and their exploration of history, we explored the essence of Zheng He's spirit, told Zheng He's story well, and spread China's voice.

Paviwan said that Zheng He's story is widely known and respected in Thailand and Southeast Asia. Zheng He's seven voyages to the West opened up China's first maritime trade route, which not only enhanced the people-to-people bond but also promoted the vigorous development of maritime trade. We are willing to spread Zheng He's story, safeguard the precious cultural heritage left by Zheng He, and promote the deepening and practical cooperation between Thailand and China.

Gao Fayuan said that Yunnan's research on Zheng He keeps pace with the times. Yunnan Vocational College of Transportation introduced Zheng He culture into the campus, built the Zheng He Cultural Square, sculpted a bronze statue of Zheng He and a stone sculpture gallery of Zheng He's seven voyages to the West, founded a Zheng He research journal, and established the Zheng He Shipping Academy. It has trained practical technical talents for neighboring countries and created new experience for Yunnan's Zheng He research in the new era.

During the dialogue session, Shi Ping, director of the Shanghai Zheng He Research Center, Zheng Zihai, a descendant of Zheng He in Nanjing, Jiangsu, Xiao Xian, vice president of the Yunnan Zheng He Research Association, Zhang Lu, president of the Singapore International Zheng He Society, Zhong Tianxiang, dean of the Maritime Silk Road Research Institute of the International Zheng He Society, Wang Runhua, dean of the School of Chinese Language and Culture of Southern University of Malaysia, and He Qicai, deputy director of the Malaysian Chinese Research Center, as well as other experts and scholars from home and abroad gathered online and offline to discuss contemporary Zheng He research, Zheng He's three identities, Zheng He's spirit and Baba, Zheng He's inheritance and innovation of Chinese culture in Malacca, and the evolution of Zheng He's image in Malaysia. They recalled history from different countries and perspectives, shared research results, and passed on the spirit of Zheng He.

At the premiere, the short video series "Zheng He and the Silk Road - Meeting Malacca" from the "Heart-to-Heart Yunnan Tour" jointly implemented by the Provincial Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and Yunnan Radio and Television Station's Lancang-Mekong International TV was premiered. The vivid images reproduced the cultural imprint left by Zheng He in Malacca and the local people's love and respect for Zheng He.

At the event, Gao Fayuan, president of the Yunnan Zheng He Research Association, and Yang Jingyuan, vice president, presented the books "Highland Women" and "Zheng He Research in Yunnan" to Consul General Huang Mingshan, Consul General Pa Weiwan, and Deputy Consul Luo Haya respectively, further promoting cultural exchanges between China and the West and the sharing of Zheng He research.

The event was concluded with a wonderful maritime performance by students from Yunnan Vocational College of Transportation. The performance integrated Chinese and Western cultural elements, with sonorous and powerful dances and moving recitations, which was both a celebration of the maritime spirit and a continuation of Zheng He's spirit.

From the "Maritime Silk Road" of Zheng He's era of navigation to the joint construction of the "Belt and Road" initiative, this event focused on Zheng He's story and spirit. Through online and offline dialogues between Chinese and foreign experts, it had a dialogue with Zheng He from an international perspective, released the short video pilot "Zheng He and Si Lu - Meeting Malacca", shared Zheng He's spiritual heritage with relevant countries and regions, consolidated the public opinion foundation of neighboring countries, and promoted the Silk Road spirit with peace, cooperation, openness, inclusiveness, mutual learning, mutual benefit and win-win as its core, and made Yunnan's voice heard in maintaining world peace.