On June 27th, a delegation of foreign envoys to China paid a visit to Handan city, and attended the conference on Handan introduction and the promotion of major industries. In the afternoon, Xia Yanjun, vice-governor of Hebei province, met with the delegation of foreign diplomats. Bandito Dos Santos Freitas, head of the delegation and Timor-Leste ambassador to China, and Gao Hongzhi, chief Party leader of Handan city, made remarks during the promotion. Mayor Zhang Weiliang presided over the promotion. Wang Lizhong, director of the Foreign Affairs Office of Hebei Province, and other municipal officials including Wu Jinliang, Xu Fujun, Zhang Xuejun and Bai Gang also attended relevant activities.
On behalf of Hebei provincial government, Xia Yanjun warmly welcomed their visit to Hebei, and extend great thanks to the diplomats who have been contributing to friendly exchanges and cooperation between Hebei and Asian countries. She said that Hebei enjoys unique geographical advantages as it surrounds Beijing and adjoins Tianjian and the Bohai Sea in the east. It has a long history and deep cultural deposits. In recent years, Hebei has been proactively pushing forward its industrial transformation and green development with substantial outcomes in cutting industrial overcapacity, preventing pollution and avoiding risks. In the meantime, it maintains a good momentum in economic and social development with increasing improvement in ecological environment. Currently, Hebei is in a historical juncture full of strategic opportunities while a series of significant national strategies including collaborative development of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei, the construction of Xiongan New Area and the hosting of 2022 Winter Olympics is being implemented in Hebei to offer it unprecedented historical opportunities and provide a wider platform for win-win cooperation between Hebei and Asian countries.She hoped that the visit could enable the diplomats to have a better understanding of Hebei and push forward the cooperation in the fields of international industrial capacity, economy and trade as well as education, science and technology, culture and tourism.
On behalf of the CPC Handan Municipal Committee and Handan Government, Gao Hongzhi sincerely welcomed their visit. He said that Asian countries are connected with mountains and waters, and close in cultural and people-to-people exchanges. Two thousand years ago, our ancestors have embarked on the ancient business road of silk, tea and spice to open the window for friendly exchanges. In 2013, President Xi Jinping put forward the “Belt and Road Initiative” (BRI). Over the past few years, the BRI’s “circle of friends” has been expanded with quality cooperation and promising future. Meanwhile, the long-lasting friendship with the BRI countries and regions is established through deep and practical cooperation in the fields of project construction, infrastructure, foreign trade and cultural exchanges. In recent years, we have firmly established new concept of development and forged ahead in attracting investment and developing projects so as to improve the allocation of available resources and increasing high-quality supply. Besides, the industrial structure will be optimized; the development potential will be energized and the capability of preventing economic risks will be increased. Through a tough battle to build a green and beautiful Handan, Handan has witnessed its improvement in ecological environment with the blue sky, green land and clean water.Your visit provides us with good opportunities to enhance mutual understanding, bring us closer and deepen cooperation. It is hoped that people could get closer to Handan to experience the ancient culture of Zhao (BC403 - BC222), enhance exchanges, seek for practical cooperation in the fields of industry, education, science and technology, culture and tourism, and promote the common interest of all sides when jointly building the Belt and Road. We will improve our openness in a comprehensive way so as to offer visitors top-level services, build utmost environment, jointly share development fruits and build a promising future.
Ambassador Bandito Dos Santos Freitas appreciated the warm reception of the CPC Hebei Provincial Committee and provincial government as well as the CPC Handan Municipal Committee and municipal government. He said he was fascinated by Handan’s history and culture as well as great achievements in economic development as Handan has been playing an important role in China’s exchanges and cooperation with neighbouring countries throughout the history. It is hoped that we could inherit and spread traditional friendship, respect each other and reinforce cooperation, thus achieving common development and improving people’s welfare.