On November 18, the 5th China-CEEC Capital Mayors Forum hosted by Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, was held via video link. Chen Jining, Mayor of Beijing, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee, attended the forum in Beijing and delivered a keynote speech.

Delivering Keynote Speech

According to Chen Jining, the Capital Mayors Forum is an important multilateral platform for city cooperation under the China-CEEC cooperation mechanism. As the capital and an opening-up window to the outside world, Beijing is committed to pursuing greater opening-up at a higher level, enhancing connectivity and complementarity with other cities, and strengthening the resilience in development and cooperation. Beijing will further promote the development of "two zones" to create more opportunities for cooperation and development, and work with all parties to set an example for regional cooperation on resilience between China and Central and Eastern Europe. Beijing is willing to continue to cooperate with capital cities of all countries on Covid-19 control, encourage more scientific research institutions, enterprises and hospitals to conduct joint research and development of vaccines and medicines, promote a more equal distribution of anti-pandemic resources across the world. We will strengthen scientific and technological cooperation in basic research, climate change, ecological and environmental protection, by facilitating cooperation on innovative projects and exchanges of tech talent. We will reinforce cooperation in digital trade, trade in services, cross-border e-commerce and professional services, to expand two-way trade and investment and achieve mutual benefits and win-win results at a higher level. We will carry out international cooperation on saving energy and reducing carbon emissions, with focus on emission reduction, and green energy, share opportunities for transformation and development, and promote green and sustainable development in cities. We will expand and deepen the cultural exchanges, organize branded activities, support academic exchanges and talent training, make well-thought tourism promotion plans to gather strength for development.

At the forum, Benjamina Karić, Mayor of Sarajevo, delivered a welcome speech, and officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China delivered speeches as well. The mayors or representatives from Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, Tirana, the capital of Albania, Athens, the capital of Greece, Podgorica, the capital of Montenegro, Bucharest, the capital of Romania, made their remarks respectively. The forum adopted and issued the Joint Declaration to further build consensus and promote cooperation.

Before the forum, Chen Jining and some of 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." The topic of this year's forum is "Toward Resilient Cooperation in the Fight against the Pandemic," which aims to raise the level of cooperation between Beijing and CEEC capital cities in fields like economy and trade and city governance, and strengthen the resilience of cooperation. Before and after the forum, there were 5 more online parallel meetings including the Capital Chamber Leaders Roundtable 2021, and the Roundtable on Healthy Cities, which focused on deepening economic and trade cooperation, building healthy cities and promoting tourism cooperation.

Dai Binbin, Secretary General of the People's Government of Beijing Municipality, and some of the diplomatic envoys of Central and Eastern Europe to China attended the forum offline in Beijing.

(Article: Yang Qi)