Recently, Beijing Foreign Affairs Office held a one-day seminar for directors of district-level foreign affairs offices to better implement the visions outlined at the 5th Plenary Meeting of the Leading Group for Improving Beijing's Role as the Center for International Exchanges and provide guidance to district-level foreign affairs offices for advancing their work throughout the year. Feng Jian, member of the leading Party members group and deputy director-general of Beijing Foreign Affairs Office, presided over the meeting and made remarks. Heads of relevant divisions of the Beijing Foreign Affairs Office, members of the leading groups of foreign affairs offices in 16 districts and the Beijing Economic and Technological Development Zone, and heads of district departments undertaking the annual key tasks of the city attended the meeting. Strict Covid-19 control measures were adopted during the meeting.

Before the meeting, all district-level foreign affairs offices conducted in-depth investigation and research on the annual key tasks of improving Beijing's role as the center for international exchanges, strengthening the service capacity, improving work performance according to the monitoring and evaluation results, and enhancing the capacity building of district-level foreign-related work. Working concepts, problems and measures drawn from the research were introduced respectively at the meeting. Through rich discussions and mutual learning among participants, the meeting charted a clear course and put forward major tasks, which helped build a broad consensus and strong unity in action for advancing the annual tasks.

The meeting emphasized that all district-level foreign affairs offices must improve their political awareness, and bear in mind a broader mindset of implementing the "four centers" strategic positioning and better serving the overall work of the CPC and the state government. They also  need to truly understand that improving Beijing's role as the center for international exchanges is of paramount importance, needs to act immediately and requires long-term efforts. Concrete measures should be adopted to build the center for international exchanges, such as making progress in each project and formulating lists for management, completing municipal-level major tasks with meticulous efforts.  All districts are encouraged to carry out research and trials based on local conditions and needs. The Foreign Affairs Office will strengthen supervision on the annual key tasks through ledger-based management, performance assessment, year-end debriefing, monitoring and evaluation.

The meeting required all district-level foreign affairs offices to take the principal responsibilities in promoting Beijing's role as the center for international exchanges in their own districts, benchmark with work arrangements of the municipal government, refine working mechanisms, and strengthen team and capacity building. Important matters related to building Beijing into the center for international exchanges should be reported to relevant municipal departments in a timely manner. By doing so, the whole city will unite as one in promoting Beijing's role as the center for international exchanges.