A review of exchanges between Baoji and ROK in 2021

T he past decade has witnessed a booming of both governmental and non-governmental exchanges between Baoji， China， and Yecheongun， Republic of Korea， in such areas as culture， tourism， agriculture and sports since 2013. It has brought winwin cooperation and complementary development for both sides boosted by each other’s advantages. Thanks to the efforts made by leaders and friendshippromoting people on both sides， Baoji and Yecheon-gun became twin cities in 2016， marking the start of lasting cooperation.

Virtual meeting

The 22nd Twin Cities Conference of China， Japan and the ROK was inaugurated in Seoul on Nov 4. The conference was addressed by Lin Songtian， president of Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries； Song Hajin， president of the Korea Municipal Governor Agreement Association and mayor of Jeollabukdo； and Tamotsu Okamoto， president of Council of Local Authorities for International Relations.

As a part of the conference， a virtual meeting was held by the Baoji Foreign Affairs Office and the Administrative Bureau of Yecheongun on Nov 5. The meeting centered on the history and future development of Baoji and Yecheon-gun as twin cities. Both sides expressed willingness to cooperate and exchanged ideas on various subjects.

“The Year of Chinese and Korean Culture” was designated for this year and next， marking the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Korea and the People’s Republic of China. Both sides said they are willing to take the virtual meeting as an opportunity to promote mutual understanding and friendship. Agreements were reached for regular online meetings， detailed exchanges and practical cooperation in specific areas. Through joint efforts， Baoji and Yecheon-gun were expected to be a model for twin cities communication and cooperation.

Arts exhibition

On Oct 15， a children’s arts exhibition co-sponsored by China’s Shaanxi province and the city of Sejong， ROK， opened in Xi’an， Shaanxi’s capital. The theme of the exhibition was “Hand in hand， we fight against the epidemic and create the future”. An award ceremony was held for the 2021 Children’s Painting Competition entitled “Love toward my motherland and my country： Shaanxi in my sight”. All of the eight paintings recommended by the Baoji Foreign Affairs Office were awarded prizes and will be displayed in Sejong. A bridge of friendship was built by children with their imaginative brushes.

The year 2021 marks the opening of The Year of Chinese and Korean Culture. With China and the ROK being close neighbors， the exchange and cooperation between Baoji and Yecheon-gun is a good beginning. Ever since 2015， a rich variety of cooperative projects between the two cities has unfolded in culture， tourism， education， agriculture and international trade. The arts exhibition has transcended geographical and language barriers to contribute to nongovernmental friendship between the two peoples.

Fruit industry cooperation

With aid from the Shaanxi Foreign Affairs Office and the Chinese consulate in Jeju， a virtual forum related to fruit industry cooperation between Baoji and Jeju was held on Aug 26. It was a great success. Video conference rooms were set up in Jeju， Xi’an and Baoji. With an indepth exchange on mutual benefits， an agreement was reached that both sides would make joint efforts to push forward the modernization of the fruit industry.

The forum was addressed by Wang Luxin， consul general of the PRC in Jeju； Yang Guangting， mayor of Baoji； and An Dongwoo， mayor of Jeju. Shaanxi Foreign Affairs Office Deputy Director Yao Hongjuan and Executive Vice President Cao Hui of the Shaanxi People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries attended the virtual meeting.

The forum was a boost to future cooperation across a wider range and at a higher level. Mayor An Dongwoo said he was certain the industry would be successful， and the forum offered both sides a great opportunity for indepth cooperation in terms of strains upgrades， planting technology and marketing.

With opportunities created by the Belt and Road Initiative， Baoji has made great efforts toward larger-scale opening in recent years. It aims at building a platform for oversea cooperation and widening channels for people-to-people exchanges. Six foreign cities have tied with Baoji as twins， including Yahata-shi， Japan， and Yecheon-gun， ROK. The friendly exchanges cover 13 cities from Japan， the US， France and Germany. Through a rich variety of publicity channels， including online conferences， Baoji hopes to show the world great changes in Baoji and China.