The "International Friendship City Award for Outstanding Contribution" ceremony is held during the China International Friendship Cities Conference on Nov 19. [Photo/Foreign Affairs Office of the Fuzhou Municipal People's Government]

The China International Friendship Cities Conference 2024 was held in Kunming, Yunnan province, from Nov 18 to 19, with the theme "Common Prosperity, Shared Future".

The event attracted over 700 representatives from more than 40 countries, 60 provinces and states, 120 cities, and 60 local government or friendship organizations.

During the conference, the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the China International Friendship Cities Association honored 20 Chinese provinces and cities for their outstanding contributions to international sister-city work. Fujian province and its capital, Fuzhou, both received the "International Friendship City Award for Outstanding Contribution".

Fujian was the only region, apart from the host province of Yunnan, to have both itself and a city within its jurisdiction receive such honors.

Oregon, the United States (a sister state of Fujian), and Neustadt, Germany (a sister city of Quanzhou), were awarded the "Friendship City Award for Outstanding Partnership with China".

In recent years, Fuzhou has deepened its international sister-city exchanges, establishing formal relationships with 23 cities in 16 countries across five continents, creating a new landscape in urban diplomacy.

Fujian has leveraged its unique advantages to actively engage in international sister-city initiatives. To date, the province has established 126 international sister-city relationships with 48 countries, including major global economies, emerging economies, and regional powers.

Moving forward, Fujian aims to work closely with its international sister cities to promote the high-quality development of these partnerships.