On the afternoon of November 28, Li Xiuling, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Beijing Municipal People’s Congress, met with Rafael Mandelman, President of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.

Li noted that, under the joint leadership of the two heads of state, China-U.S. relations are now underpinned by sustained and upward momentum. For the two countries, to be partners and friends is both a historical lesson and a pragmatic imperative. The Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) has charted a grand blueprint for China’s economic and social development over the next five years, sending a strong signal of China’s commitment to sharing opportunities and pursuing common development with countries around the world. Beijing is a historic cultural city and a vibrant, modern international metropolis. As the capital, it serves as the nation’s political, cultural, and international exchange center, and a center for scientific and technological innovation. For many years, Beijing and San Francisco have engaged in fruitful cooperation in such areas as ecological conservation and education. We are willing to work with San Francisco to actively implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, strengthen exchanges between local legislatures, promote friendly engagement between our peoples and the youth, and contribute to the development of China-U.S. relations.

Mandelman said that he is willing to continue advancing friendly exchanges between San Francisco and Beijing, and promote people-to-people exchanges and economic cooperation between the two cities.