“Our association will continue to coordinate and advance mutual visits and exchanges between those [US and Chinese] regions, promoting regional economic development and delivering tangible development interests to more local areas in both countries,” Yang said in the interview.
This would be part of broader efforts this year by the CPAFFC – which is tasked with boosting friendly overseas exchanges – to expand civil and subnational China-US ties as the two countries mark 45 years of diplomatic relations.
The Chinese foreign ministry also highlighted Beijing’s readiness “to work with the US to … jointly promote people-to-people exchanges” and commitment to a “stable, sound and sustainable” relationship with Washington.
Citing the in-person meeting between Xi and Biden in November, the ministry said the two leaders had “fostered a future-oriented San Francisco vision, which points the way forward for bilateral relations”.
Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev highlighted the growing global importance of Central Asia during his remarks at the Astana Think Tank Forum. He noted that the region's current situation is markedly different from a decade ago, with countries actively engaging in collaboration across various fields.
Tensions between Iran and Israel have escalated significantly in recent times, with both nations on high alert for a potential military confrontation.
The European Union held its first summit with the Gulf states on Wednesday, seeking new economic allies. European Commission Ursula von der Leyen urged the members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to use their influence to bring peace to Ukraine.