On September 23, the 2026 Beijing Reception in Honor of Foreign Diplomatic Missions to China was held on the bank of the Grand Canal in the Beijing Municipal Administrative Center (BMC), attracting over 200 diplomatic envoys, representatives of international organizations in China and their family members from more than 80 countries. Yin Li, Secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee, delivered a speech, and Yin Yong, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee and Mayor of Beijing, moderated the event. Li Xiuling, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Beijing Municipal People’s Congress, attended the event.

In his speech, Yin Li expressed gratitude to diplomatic envoys for their long-term care and support for Beijing’s development. He said that, as global changes unseen in a century accelerate, the Chinese government and people are actively acting upon President Xi Jinping’s Global Development Initiative (GDI), Global Security Initiative (GSI), Global Civilization Initiative (GCI), and Global Governance Initiative (GGI). China is working with countries around the world to build a community with a shared future for humanity and promote world peace, stability, development, and prosperity. As China’s capital, Beijing has maintained steady long-term development and continued to improve people’s lives. Over the past five years, its GRP has grown by an average of 5.2% annually, reaching RMB 5.2 trillion last year and growing by 5.4% year on year in the first half of this year. Life expectancy in Beijing has exceeded 84 years. The city is open and inclusive, with vibrant innovation and creativity. Emerging industries such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and biomedicine are growing rapidly, and services for foreign nationals continue to improve. In the first half of this year, inbound tourist visits to Beijing rose by 33% to 3.27 million. Friends from around the world can work and live in Beijing more comfortably and conveniently. This year marks the beginning of the 15th Five-Year Plan period. Beijing will place greater emphasis on coordinating high-quality development with high-level security, work to build itself as an international center for innovation and a global leader in the digital economy, and accelerate the development of a modern industrial system. Greater priority will also be given to improving urban quality and resilience, while continuing to improve the ecological environment and enrich cultural life. Beijing will deepen reform and expand opening up to foster a world-class business environment and make it more convenient for people to live and work in the city. Beijing looks forward to strengthening people-to-people exchanges and mutual learning with countries around the world, deepening practical cooperation in science and technology, industry, economy and trade, and other fields, enhancing mutual understanding and trust, and sharing development opportunities.

Speaking on behalf of the diplomatic envoys, Martin Mpana, Dean of the Foreign Diplomatic Corps in China and Ambassador of Cameroon to China, said that, after a decade of development, the BMC has become a modern, vibrant, innovative, green, and livable city of the future. It exemplifies a people-centered approach to high-quality development, vividly demonstrating China’s wisdom in urban governance. The diplomatic envoys look forward to witnessing and contributing to Beijing’s development, as well as engaging in practical dialogue and cooperation with the city across various fields to deepen mutual understanding and friendship and achieve mutual benefits and common development.

During the event, the diplomatic envoys and representatives of international organizations in China visited Fu Garden of the Sixth Ring Road High Line Park, where they enjoyed the BMC’s beautiful and diverse ecological landscape. They also strolled along the Grand Canal and watched Cruise on the Grand Canal, an on-water show of poetry and music, on tour boats, experiencing the harmonious coexistence of the ancient canal and the modern city.

The event was attended by leaders from central authorities, including Ma Hui, Zhao Zhiyuan, Lu Xiangdong, and Jiang Peng, as well as Beijing municipal leaders Zhao Lei, and Mu Peng. Also present was Wang Jianzhong, Secretary General of the Standing Committee of the Beijing Municipal People’s Congress.