The year 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted with the outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic, the foreign affairs offices of all districts in Beijing responded to risks, challenges and uncertainties with great courage and a strong sense of responsibility. They participated in foreign-related epidemic prevention and control and international cooperation in epidemic response, facilitated the implementation of the central authorities’ plans for diplomatic work and the preparation for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 (Beijing 2022 Games), exchanged with district-level counterparts of other countries in an innovative manner, used diplomatic resources and channels to promote opening-up at a higher level and resumption of work and production, took measures to improve the international language environment in Beijing, and organized various activities to disseminate information about consular protection. They made extraordinary achievements in the extraordinary year.
Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. The foreign affairs offices of all districts of Beijing showed great courage, perseverance, and a strong sense of responsibility in their work in 2020. Let’s take a look at their hard-won achievements last year.
Dongcheng District
New Year Reception for Foreign Journalists in China
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Beijing Municipal Government co-hosted the New Year Reception for Foreign Journalists in China at the National Art Museum of China on January 13, 2020. Vice Foreign Minister Qin Gang, and Du Feijin, member of the Standing Committee and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee, attended the reception. It was the first time that the Foreign Affairs Office of Dongcheng District undertook the organization of the reception. They established a work group on the site and mobilized all relevant resources to meticulously act on all tasks and deliver a successful reception.
Xicheng District
Online tea culture exchange
Xicheng District had online exchanges with its sister city Nakano, Tokyo on tea culture in December 2020, starting a new mode of online exchange and cooperation between sister cities. The event was co-organized by the Foreign Affairs Office of Xicheng District and a local authority of Maliandao Tea Street, which aims to demonstrate the unique strengths of Xicheng District, promote international exchanges in the field of tea culture, enhance mutual understanding and create more platforms for practical exchanges and cooperation.
Chaoyang District
Dedicated team at the new venue of China International Exhibition Center
In March 2020, the Foreign Affairs Office of Chaoyang District worked proactively to help transport foreigners from the new venue of China International Exhibition Center. They received the most foreigners and was the busiest team on site. They mobilized officials who could speak English, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Spanish, Italian and so on from various departments of the district government and recruited nearly 20 volunteers to provide registration and guidance services on the site in multiple languages. Their work, involving the registration, transport and policy support for foreign nationals coming to Beijing from abroad, won unanimous appraisal from the public.
Haidian District
Standardize foreign language signs in public places
The Foreign Affairs Committee of the CPC Haidian District Committee made great effort to improve foreign language signs in public places in 2020. The Regulations of Beijing Municipality on Public Signs in Foreign Languages is applicable to 228 public places, including 78 key public places. They checked 10,215 signs, and rectified 1,114 of them.
Fengtai District
Publicize consular protection
On November 5, 2020, the Foreign Affairs Office of Fengtai District went to communities to disseminate information about consular protection, epidemic prevention and control, and security in foreign countries to the residents. The event aimed to give the residents a better understanding of the severe epidemic situation overseas, increase their risk awareness and personal security awareness, improve their ability to guard against risks and seek aid in an emergency, and advise them not to go abroad unless it is absolutely necessary. They distributed over 300 copies of Traveling Guidelines during the Pandemic and answered the resident’s questions.
Shijingshan District
First Winter Olympics Community in Beijing
On August 8, 2020, Gaojing Road Winter Olympics Community in Shijingshan District, the first of its kind in Beijing, unveiled its logo and released a music video of its theme song. By building the Winter Olympics community, Shijingshan District aimed to improve the image of communities and the residents’ lives by bringing Olympics-related culture, education and lifestyle to communities, schools and households, and organizing winter sports and other activities characteristic of Winter Olympics in which the residents could participate.
Mentougou District
International cooperation in pandemic response
On June 15, 2020, Mentougou District donated masks, medical protective suits and other urgently-needed anti-pandemic supplies to its sister city, Rafaela in the province of Santa Fe, Argentina. The mayor of Rafaela attended the handover ceremony and sent a letter of thanks to Mentougou.
Fangshan District
Beijing International Financial Security Forum
From November 26 to 27, 2020, the 2020 Beijing International Financial Security Forum was held at Beijing Financial Security Industrial Park in Fangshan District. The forum centered on “New Finance, New Infrastructure and New Security”. Researchers and professionals from financial regulatory authorities, financial institutions, Fintech companies and so on had in-depth discussions on hot topics such as the world economy, financial security, guarding against financial risks, information security, and network security, and offered suggestions on national financial security, healthy economic and financial circulation and growth, and the development of Beijing Financial Security Industrial Park.
