Jiangsu kicked off the annual session of the World Canal Cities Forum in Yangzhou city on Monday. The event was co-hosted by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the People's Government of Jiangsu Province. Yang Jiechi, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Director of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission, attended the opening ceremony and delivered a speech.
Yang Jiechi said that the canal is a great project created by mankind, adding that we should further implement the important General Secretary Xi Jinping’s instructions and adhere to the people-centered development concept on the basis of the existing important achievements in the protection, inheritance and utilization of the Grand Canal culture so that the canal will always benefit the people, and promote international exchanges and cooperation.
Yang Jiechi pointed out that a few days ago, President Xi Jinping chaired a high-level dialogue on global development, calling on all parties to work together to create a development pattern featuring inclusive benefits, balance, coordination and inclusiveness, win-win cooperation and common prosperity.
He hoped that all parties will jointly participate in the cooperation of global development initiatives and bring together the strongest synergy for the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Yang Jiechi said that China is willing to work with other countries in the world to develop new ideas and paths to solve the common challenges of mankind, and to promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.
With the theme of "Heritage Protection and Sustainable Development of Canal Cities", this forum will inject new impetus into the prosperous development of canal cities in the world, cultural exchanges and cooperation between China and foreign countries, and the promotion of sustainable development agenda.
Wu Zhenglong, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Director of the Standing Committee of the Provincial People's Congress, said that in recent years, Jiangsu has conscientiously implemented General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important instructions, coordinated the protection, inheritance and utilization so that the ancient Grand Canal is showing the youthful vitality of the new era.
He said Jiangsu will take this forum as an opportunity to learn from the successful experience of the development of canal cities in the world, and promote the heritage protection and sustainable development of cities along the canal.
Governor Xu Kunlin presided over the opening ceremony. Vice Minister of Culture and Tourism Zhang Xu and Ou Xiaoli, Director of the Social Development Department of the National Development and Reform Commission delivered speeches. Xu Feihong, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs, was among the leaders present at the ceremony.
Among the foreign leaders making video speeches at the ceremony were Aristides Royo, Minister of Canal Affairs of Panama and Chairman of the Canal Board of Directors, Carlos Gutierrez, Honorary Chairman of the World Cooperation Organization for Canal History and Culture, Barakhat Durdeev, Ambassador of Turkmenistan to China, Mohammad Badri, Ambassador of Egypt to China.
Bai Yating, representative of the United Nations Development Program in China, delivered a speech and awarded Yangzhou a license - "Canal City Implementing the Model City of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development".
The results of the construction of the digital cloud platform of the Grand Canal National Cultural Park were released at the ceremony.
The leaders jointly pressed the "seal" button to start the 2022 World Canal Cities Forum.
After the opening ceremony, a keynote speech was held, the "Yangzhou Initiative for World Canal City Heritage Protection and Sustainable Development" was passed, and a cultural and tourism industry cooperation project was signed.
Provincial leaders Zhang Aijun, Pan Xianzhang, Fan Jinlong, Ma Xin and Yao Xiaodong attended the opening ceremony.
