The 8th China-South Asia Friendship Organizations Forum was successfully held in China's Jiangxi Province with the theme of "Good Neighborliness for a Shared Future" to promote cultural understanding, economic collaboration, people-to-people exchanges, and to unlock tremendous potential for mutually beneficial growth and development between China and the South Asia Region.
On 12 December, this forum was held in Nanchang City of Jiangxi Province which is hosted by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and jointly organized by the Jiangxi Provincial People's Government and the Organization for South Asia Regional Friendship and Cooperation with China, with the support of the Jiangxi Provincial People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.
Fan Yong, Director General of the Foreign Affairs Office of Jiangxi Provincial People’s Government, presided over the forum while Xia Wenyong, Vice Governor of Jiangxi Provincial People’s Government; Jiang Jiang, Vice President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries; Anoop Bhattarai, Chairman of Organization for South Asia Regional Friendship and Cooperation with China; Surendra Kumar Yadabo, Deputy Head of Mission and Minister of the Embassy of Nepal in China and other guests attended the forum and delivered the speeches.
Xia Wenyong pointed out in his speech that Jiangxi has a long history of friendly exchanges with South Asian countries. In recent years, Jiangxi has taken economic and trade cooperation as an important foundation and people-to-people exchanges as a bridge to share development opportunities with South Asian countries, and the level of cooperation and exchanges have been continuously improved. It is hoped that Jiangxi and South Asian countries will carry out extensive and in-depth cooperation in building regional people-to-people friendly exchanges and cooperation brand activities, establishing a long-term mechanism for regional friendly exchanges, promoting the construction of a new development pattern of sister cities, and promoting cooperation and exchanges in talent training. Jiangxi will work with friendship organizations of South Asian countries to carry out in-depth practical cooperation in various fields, consolidate traditional friendship, promote bilateral development cooperation to a higher level and a higher level, and contribute to the prosperity and development of China and South Asian countries.
Jiang Jiang, Vice President of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, said the foundation of state-to-state relations lies in the people, and the source of strength lies in people-to-people friendship. The Chinese Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries is willing to join hands with friendship organizations of South Asian countries to create a bright future for China-South Asia cooperation, work together to deepen China's local cooperation in South Asia, give full play to non-governmental advantages, and help China and South Asia share resources, complement each other's advantages, and achieve win-win cooperation, so as to better benefit the people of both sides.
Anoop Bhattarai, Chairman of the Organization for South Asia Regional Friendship and Cooperation with China, said China's prosperity has provided the world with tremendous economic opportunities. He expressed deep admiration for China's tremendous economic achievements, and social and cultural development in the past few decades. South Asia is China's close neighbour, and it hopes to benefit from the opportunities brought about by China's continuous economic development and hopes to continue to strengthen cooperation with China, consolidate the exchange and cooperation mechanism, and build a more perfect connectivity framework system.
During the forum, three sub-forums were held at the same time, where the guests exchanged and discussed topics such as Cultivating New Driving Forces for the Common Development of China and South Asia, Making New Progress for People-to-People and Cultural Exchanges between China and South Asia, and Composing a New Chapter for Friendship Cities Cooperation between China and South Asia.
More than 120 people from Bangladesh, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka attended the forum, including heads of friendship organizations of South Asian countries to China, and envoys of South Asian countries in China. Besides that, relevant leaders of friendship associations of various provinces and cities in China, relevant scholars, business representatives and representatives of international students also attended the forum.
