On September 9, the 2024 Guizhou International Friendly City Exchange and Cooperation Conference, themed "Jointly Discussing Friendship and Cooperation, Promoting Open Development", was successfully held in Guiyang. Guizhou Province Governor Li Bingjun, Vice Governor Cai chaolin, and other provincial leaders attended the conference, alongside guests from 32 international friendly cities and regions across 15 countries. Deputy Secretary-General Zhang Yangbin attended the meeting and delivered a speech.

Zhang Yangbin said that international friendly cities serve as an important channel for friendly exchanges between localities and peoples, as well as a critical foundation and strong support for relations between China and foreign countries. President Xi Jinping has emphasized the importance of actively promoting China's international friendship city initiatives, fostering exchanges between local and foreign governments, and realizing resource sharing, complementary advantages, and win-win cooperation. Since the establishment of the first friendship city relationship in 1973, Chinese local governments have forged over 3,000 pairs of friendship provincial and city relationships with counterparts in 147 countries and regions, creating a vast international network of friends and partners spanning five continents.

Zhang further pointed out that the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee has laid out systematic plans to further deepen comprehensive reforms and advance Chinese-style modernization. This will undoubtedly open up broader development opportunities for cooperation between international friendly cities. The Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries is eager to play its role as a bridge, facilitating the establishment of friendships between Chinese cities and their global counterparts, enhancing mutual understanding and friendship among nations, deepening local exchanges and pragmatic cooperation, and contributing to the shared well-being of all peoples. He expressed that together, efforts will be made to build a community with a shared future for mankind.