Foreword:
In the year that has just passed, all districts gave full play to their unique strengths in development, coordinated foreign affairs resources, took the initiative to fulfill their responsibilities, overcame the negative impacts of COVID-19, and promoted practical exchanges in various forms. Each district has made significant achievements in serving the capital's foreign affairs, improving its role as the center for international exchanges and promoting its high-quality development.
At the start of the year of the Tiger, let's take a look at the highlights of each district's foreign affairs work in 2021.
Dongcheng District: Diplomats invited to visit Shijia Hutong
Keyword: Diplomats
On April 26, Dongcheng District and Beijing Service Bureau for Diplomatic Missions jointly organized activities themed "Exploring the Charms of Shijia Hutong, Appreciating Profound Traditional Culture". Sixty-seven diplomats of 43 missions from the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, Russia, Switzerland, Belgium, among others, visited the time-renowned Shijia Hutong, saw the restored miniature landscape of 130 courtyards, learned about related history and stories of famous people, and appreciated intangible cultural heritages.
Xicheng District: Celebrating the 35th anniversary of the sister-city relationship between Xicheng District and Nakano, Tokyo
Keyword: Sister Cities
On December 23, Xicheng District and Nakano celebrated the 35th anniversary of their sister-city relationship. The celebration was themed "Maintaining Long-Term Friendships with Heart, Writing New Development Chapters Together". The two sides signed a memorandum of understanding on deepening friendly relations via video. Xicheng District and Nakano are the first pair of district-level sister cities between Beijing and Tokyo. Since the twinning in 1986, the two sides have had practical cooperation in government affairs, culture, education, sports, youth exchanges, and people-to-people exchanges and have yielded bountiful fruits that benefit the people of both sides.
Chaoyang District: Online communication with Salzburg, Austria, on promoting the "two zones" policies
Keyword: Foreign Affairs Online
On December 21, Chaoyang District—Salzburg City Online Exchange Event for Pharmaceutical Enterprises and the Chaoyang District Promotion Meeting for the "Two Zones" Policies were held. The relevant persons from the district's foreign affairs office and commerce bureau introduced the district's situations, including its COVID-19 control measures, improved business environment, the development of advantage industry and the "two zones" initiative. Chaoyang-based SPH KDL HEALTH (Beijing) Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. and Salzburg's W&H Group and Soy Austria GmbH exchanged views on business environment, corporate development and future cooperation.
Haidian District: Dialogue on international education with Lansing, Michigan, US
Keyword: Foreign Affairs Online
Haidian-Lansing Education Forum was held on the morning of May 26 at the Zhongguancun Mooc Times Building, launched simultaneously in Haidian District and Lansing via video. Wang Hesheng, District Mayor of Haidian, and Andy Schor, Mayor of Lansing, delivered speeches respectively, expressing their readiness to further promote friendly exchanges and practical cooperation between the two sides, give full play to their characteristics and benefit their people. During the event, education experts, principals and student representatives from both sides had in-depth communication on topics such as the development trend of global education in the post-covid era, the global cultivation of innovative talents, and the trend of integrated development of technological innovation and education.
Shijingshan District: A music flash mob
Keyword: Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics
In commemoration of the 70th anniversary of China's participation in the 1952 Helsinki Summer Olympics—the first Olympics that the People's Republic of China participated in after its founding in 1949, the Embassy of Finland in China, Team Finland in China, People's Government of Shijingshan District and Shougang Group jointly held a music flash mob in Shougang Park on November 30 to send their best wishes to the forthcoming 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and Paralympics.
Mentougou District: Online dialogue on cooperation with Bottrop, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Keyword: Foreign Affairs Online
On May 28, Yu Huafeng, Acting District Mayor of Mentougou, exchanged views on practical cooperation in economic transformation and ecological protection, with Bernd Tischler, Mayor of Bottrop, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, via video link. Both sides expressed their willingness to share experience and ideas, accelerate the implementation of cooperation projects, and jointly promote the building of innovative cities with regard to their industrial endowments and development directions under the Belt and Road Initiative.
Shunyi District: Official opening of the Beijing China-Germany Industrial Park
Keyword: Industrial Park
The Beijing China-Germany Industrial Park officially opened on December 23. It is the first national-level Sino-German cooperation park featuring economic and technological cooperation approved by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC). Up to now, the Industrial Park has gathered more than 70 German-invested enterprises such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Ameco. The China-Germany Forum for Industrial Cooperation and Development was held both online and offline in three sub-venues in Berlin, Munich and Frankfurt, Germany. It was broadcast live on multiple platforms worldwide.
Changping District: Promoting cooperation in science and technology innovation by Chinese and Russian youth
Keyword: Innovation & Entrepreneurship
From September 9 to 10, the final rounds of the first "China-Russia Youth Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Creativity Competition" in medicine and health, and culture, tourism and sports were officially held in Changping. The competition is one of the most important activities under the "China-Russia Scientific and Technological Innovation Year", with a total of six sections, including new energy and material, medicine and health, and culture, tourism and sports. Gan Jingzhong, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Changping District Committee and District Mayor, and Vladimir E. Dudochkin, the Head of the city district of Troitsk, attended the event and signed a memorandum of cooperation virtually.
Yanqing District: Ambassadors and envoys from the SCO member states visiting the Yanqing competition zone of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics
Keyword: Diplomats
From April 29 to 30, the Winter Olympics-themed event for Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) diplomatic envoys to China was successfully held in Yanqing District. Ambassadors and envoys attended the second Beijing International Garden Festival, visited a short track speed skating training base for the youth, and participated in the tree planting event to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area: Demonstrating high-quality development achievements to diplomats from Central and Eastern European countries
Keyword: Diplomats
On November 18, the 5th China-CEEC Capital Mayors Forum was held. Before the forum, the diplomatic envoys of Central and Eastern European countries to China visited the exhibition themed as "High-quality Development and High-standard Opening-up of the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area." Through texts, pictures, videos, and interaction with products from leading companies such as BOE, Xiaomi, LandSpace, Pony.ai, etc., they learned about the area's business environment and high-quality development.
