Chongqing -The Chongqing International Friendship Cities Cooperation Conference 2024 kicked off on May 22. During the event, Chongqing officially established sister city relationships with Addis Ababa in Ethiopia and Seville in Spain, expanding its international sister city network to 56.

Chongqing International Friendship Cities Cooperation Conference 2024 kicked off on May 22. (Photo/Li Xinyi)

The conference welcomed governors and representatives from 48 cities across 31 countries, diplomatic envoys from 14 nations, and delegates from international friendship organizations, foreign enterprises, and business associations. The event featured reunions with old friends and the formation of new connections.

Leveraging the platform of international sister cities, Chongqing signed 14 cooperation agreements with various parties in fields such as trade and industry, science and education, and culture. For instance, Chongqing entered into a four-party agreement with Sacramento in the USA, the NBA's Sacramento Kings, and the MEBO Group to establish a youth basketball training center in Chongqing. Chongqing Business Vocational College signed an agreement with the Australian Vocational Education and Training Professionals Association to share vocational education resources. The Chongqing Academy of Agricultural Sciences and Nepal Agriculture and Forestry University also initiated agricultural technology cooperation to promote Chongqing's advantageous industries abroad.

The signing ceremony for establishing sister city relationships and other agreements. (Photo/Li Xinyi)

On the same day, the Chongqing International Friendship Cities Food Court, themed around international sister cities, opened in Chongqing Tiandi in Yuzhong District. The food court currently features 12 international restaurants, including two from the Americas, three from Europe, and seven from Asia, creating a new culinary landscape. The offerings are characterized by European cuisine, with Japanese and Korean dishes as brands and Southeast Asian cuisine as highlights.

The Chongqing International Friendship Cities Food Court opened in Chongqing Tiandi. (Photo/Long Fan and Yin Shiyu from Chongqing Daily)

Additionally, the participating guests planted the "Chongqing International Friendship Cities Friendship Forest" on Guangyang Island, the largest island in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. They also issued the International Friendship Cities Cooperation Initiative on Biodiversity Conservation, which calls for collaborative efforts to promote biodiversity conservation, support the green transformation of urban development and lifestyles, and contribute to global sustainable development.

Participating guests planted trees on Guangyang Island. (Photo/Long Fan and Yin Shiyu from Chongqing Daily)