The conference, organized by CPAFFC, will be held in Beijing International Convention Center (BICC) on September 26-28. The 2000 China International Friendship Cities Exchange Exhibition and Trade Fair, co-sponsored by CPAFFC and the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), will open one day later.

About 540 foreign delegates representing 121 cities and 18 organizations in 47 countries as well as over 600 representatives from 31 Chinese provinces and 127 Chinese cities are expected to gather in Beijing to exchange information and experience of the friendship-city activities, discuss urban construction and development, and seek to reach broader consensus on promoting regional prosperity and progress.

China has carried out international friendship-city activities for 27 years. Except Taiwan Province, Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions, 31 Chinese provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities have all carried out international friendship-city activities. Near 1000 pairs of friendship cities (including friendship provinces and states) have established ties. Positive results have been made in international exchanges and cooperation between these cities over the past 27 years.

The main purpose of sponsoring the conference and exhibition, is to present these results to attract more attention to and gain better understanding of the friendship-city endeavor, and hence to achieve overall and in-depth development of the activity.

The conference will show to the international community the Chinese local authorities' determination and commitment to continuously pushing forward the reform and opening-up promise, and dedication to the world peace and development through deepening exchanges and cooperation among the friendship cities.

More than 160 mayors will sign a declaration on friendly cooperation and over 20 pairs of cities will sign a document forging the friendship cities.

(CIIC 09/22/2000)