By Zhao Yipu, Li Chen, Pang Geping, People’s Daily
From Jan. 15 to 18, the Global Mayors Dialogue Nanning was held in Nanning, south China’s Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.
Themed “Building a China-ASEAN Community of Friendship: Urban Openness and Cooperation,” the event brought together mayors, representatives, and experts from eight countries, including China, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.
A municipal official from an ASEAN country participating in the event said that ASEAN and China are among the most dynamic regions globally, and the cities from both sides should continue fostering economic and trade cooperation and friendly exchanges to inject new vitality into the building of a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future.
In recent years, economic and trade cooperation between China and ASEAN has significantly strengthened, leading to a steady increase in bilateral trade volume and the deepening integration of industrial, supply, and value chains.
The Global Mayors Dialogue Nanning resulted in the signing of 14 projects across various sectors including sister city partnerships, trade, logistics, education, and tourism. These projects involve countries such as Myanmar, Cambodia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, and Singapore, and have attracted total foreign investment exceeding 3.3 billion yuan ($450 million).
The event also saw the release of the Nanning Initiatives. Nong Shengwen, Party chief of Nanning, stated that the initiative aims to deepen practical cooperation at this new historical juncture and accelerate the building of a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future, contributing to global peace and development.
Mayor of Yangon City Bo Htay remarked that the fruitful outcomes of the event would further stimulate economic and trade vitality between ASEAN and Chinese cities, benefiting people in both regions.
“Yangon has sister city relationships with several Chinese cities, including Nanning, and we look forward to strengthening these ties,” Bo Htay said. According to him, Yangon aims to explore more areas of cooperation with Nanning such as education, electricity, agricultural trade, and electric vehicle production and promotion. During the event, Yangon and Nanning signed a memorandum of understanding on a friendly exchange plan for 2025-2026.
The Detian Waterfall, located in Daxin county, Chongzuo, Guangxi, flows majestically down from the cliffs, connecting with Vietnam’s Ban Gioc Waterfall. It is Asia’s largest and the world’s fourth-largest transnational waterfall. In October 2024, the China-Vietnam Detian-Ban Gioc Waterfall cross-border tourism cooperation zone officially began operations. It is the first of its kind in China.
Nguyen Van Hanh, chairman of the People’s Committee of Lang Son City, Vietnam, said Lang Son plans to develop cross-border tourism routes among Lang Son, Mong Cai, and Nanning, using tourism to boost cultural exchanges. He also proposed organizing educational exchanges among institutions in these three cities.
“Maintaining openness and interaction between ASEAN and Chinese cities is not just an opportunity but a responsibility to build a peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable future,” he said.
Located in southern Thailand, Surat Thani is renowned for its island tours, a major draw for tourists. Bundan Sathirachawal, deputy governor of Surat Thani Province, expressed the hope that more visitors from China and other ASEAN countries would come to visit the province.
The implementation of the Thailand-China mutual visa exemption agreement has led to a significant increase in the number of Thai citizens visiting China, with a particular surge in winter sports tourism among the younger demographic.
“There is vast potential for cooperation between Thailand and China in the tourism sector, which will inject vitality into urban prosperity,” the official said.
