Page 3 - YunnanTourismCultureTimes (104)

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HEADLINES | 要闻

On October 15, the 2024 Yunnan International
Friendship Cities Youth Exchange Week and Photo
Exhibition showcased a series of activities in Yunnan.
More than 100 young participants from 25 international
friendship cities and organizations across 20 countries
joined together to explore and engage with Yunnan’s de-
velopment story, experiencing “a multi-splendored life”
that the province has to offer.
In November 1981, Kunming, the provincial cap-
ital of Yunnan, established its first international friend-
ship city relationship with Fujisawa, Japan, marking
the inception of Yunnan’s network of international
partnerships. As of August 2024, Yunnan Province has
forged 111 pairs of international friendship cities with
37 countries across five continents, gradually building a
bridge of friendship that connects Yunnan to the world
and vice versa.
“As a diplomat who has spent many years in
Yunnan, I want to highlight that this region is rich in
“友城来友”续情谊 Paxaphacdy, the Lao Consul General in Kunming, at the
stunning natural landscapes and diverse ethnic customs,
exuding a captivating poetic charm,” said Mr. Pongdong

Photo Exhibition. He emphasized the openness and in-
clusivity of Yunnan, which actively welcomes the world
and showcases vibrant development and opportunities.
“Laos and Yunnan have also seen impressive results
in areas such as economic and trade investment, sister
city initiatives, and youth exchanges. To date, Laos has
established seven pairs of international friendship cities
with Yunnan Province, and there are currently over 1,800
Lao students studying in Yunnan,” he added.
“The Hekou Yao Autonomous County and Lao Cai,
only separated by the Honghe River from are essential
stops for my studies in Kunming. The two regions es-
tablished friendly city relations many years ago, taking
turns to host events such as the China-Vietnam Border
Economic and Trade Fair, the China-Vietnam Transna-
tional Spring Festival Gala, and the Border Residents'
Carnaval each year. The friendship between China and
Vietnam, characterized by the spirit of ‘comrades plus
brothers,’ is deepening,” said Pham Trung Kien, stand-
ing in front of the Vietnam friendship city exhibition
board, as the photos rekindled memories of Hekou and
Lao Cai.
During the Exchange Week, the young participants
explored five cities and prefectures: Kunming, Honghe,
Dali, Lijiang, and Pu’er. They experienced the charm
of Yunnan’s green development, ecological livability,
ethnic unity, and cultural diversity. Ahmed Mahdy, a
youth representative from the Egypt-China Friendship
Association, shared that this journey broadened his ho-
rizons, allowed him to make new friends, and fostered
meaningful connections. He was delighted to engage in
exchanges of ideas and cultural learning with the youth
from Yunnan.
Akemi Nishioka, a young woman from Mima City,
Japan, reflected that sincere communication and genu-
ine interactions are key to establishing and maintaining
friendly relations between countries. Maria, a young
woman from Vladimir Oblast, Russia, noted that she
would share her experiences and the beauty of Yunnan
with more Russian youth, expressing her hope for in-
creased youth exchanges between Russia and Yunnan.

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