城市外交：中欧关系发展的新引擎

城市外交：中欧关系发展的新引擎

近年来，中欧关系发展迅速。正如习近平主席今年3月在捷克《权利报》发表的署名文章中所写：“中欧关系正处于历史发展最好时期，面临前所未有的历史机遇。”

城市外交是中欧关系的重要组成部分。自2015年以来，欧洲主要国家纷纷加强了与中国开展城市外交的力度，着力打造双边城市外交机制性平台，积极推动双方城市开展交流与合作，使城市外交成为中欧关系发展的新引擎。

今年3月，经英国政府主动提议，首届中英地方领导人论坛在英国伦敦市和谢菲尔德市举行。首届论坛以“长江经济带和英格兰北方经济中心合作”为主题，旨在推动中英重要区域发展战略对接。中国人民对外友好协会（以下简称“全国友协”）李小林会长和来自江西省、重庆市、湖北省、湖南省、成都市和武汉市的政府领导人出席论坛。来自中国长江经济带和英国英格兰北方经济中心的地方政府和企业代表以及英国政商高层、学术精英等约500人参加了本次交流活动。武汉市与其友城曼彻斯特市签署了《武汉和曼彻斯特关于开展长江中游城市群与英格兰北方经济中心战略合作研究的协议》；成都市与其友城谢菲尔德市签署了《成都市与谢菲尔德市2016-2020战略合作备忘录》和《成都市与谢菲尔德市关于开展国际教育合作谅解备忘录》。今年11月2日，第二届中英地方领导人论坛在上海举行。英国社区和地方政府部部长贾维德率领英国中部地区7个城市的市长出席论坛，与来自中国东部沿海地区的城市领导人就产业升级、教育和文化项目合作进行了交流，签署了一系列合作协议和谅解备忘录。

2012 年4 月，深圳市与喀山市签署《友好交流城市备忘录》。

2015年6月—10月，“中欧城市文化论坛暨中欧造纸和印刷文化交流特展”在德国纽伦堡工业博物馆展出。

今年6月，在习近平主席对波兰进行国事访问之际，由全国友协、波兰经济发展部和波兰外交部共同举办的第四届中波地方论坛在华沙举行。全国友协李小林会长和陕西省省委书记娄勤俭、时任湖北省省长王国生、四川省省长尹力、贵州省省长孙志刚、河南省副省长赵建才、时任宁波市代市长唐一军等中方省市领导与会。论坛以“加强物流枢纽建设、推动地方务实合作”为主题。围绕“基础设施与交通”“老工业基地的振兴与发展”和“培育地方创新与增长”三个板块进行了充分研讨，达成了重要共识。会后，中波双方共同发表了《关于加强中国波兰地方合作的倡议》并签署了多个项目合作协议。双方一致商定第五届中波地方论坛将于2017年夏在湖北省武汉市举行。随后，中波与会代表又共同出席了由全国友协、国务院发展研究中心和贸促会共同举办的丝路国际论坛暨中波地方与经贸合作论坛开幕式，共同聆听了习近平主席和波兰总统杜达发表的重要讲话。习近平主席指出：“地方政府接地气，有贴近民众、沟通民心、惠及民生的优势，中国各地都有自己的独特优势，开展国际合作的热情很高，中国政府对此积极鼓励和支持。中波两国已经有27对友好城市，地方政府应该继续加强交流，为当地企业和其他民间机构开展合作多搭桥、搭好桥，拓展各领域务实合作，夯实中波友好的民间基础。”李小林会长代表全国友协也在开幕式上进行了简短致辞。

2013 年3 月，中欧文化论坛在德国德纽伦堡举行。

今年10月，第五届中法地方政府合作高层论坛在成都举行。全国人大常委会副委员长吉炳轩与法国外长埃罗出席论坛开幕式。来自法国地区、省、市的地方领导人70余人与中国省市和企业界代表200余人汇聚一堂，围绕可持续发展、健康养老、教育、创新创业、旅游和文化遗产保护与开发6个专题进行了深入研讨。论坛期间，全国友协还向7对中法城市颁发了“中法地方合作奖”。这些城市通过地方合作，达成了实实在在的合作项目，为当地经济社会发展作出了积极贡献。中法双方还商定2017年在法国举行中法地方政府高层论坛届中会，继续推动和落实在本次论坛上达成的一些初步合作意向。

今年11月下旬，由中俄友协、丝路研究中心和中信改革发展研究基金会共同举办的首届中俄经贸合作与地方交流论坛将在深圳市举行。会议以推动中俄地方与企业开展实质性合作为宗旨，将就装备制造业、航空工业、IT产业、旅游、农业等领域的合作进行深入探讨。会议结束后，相关地方政府和企业还将成立工作组，继续就各自议题和项目保持沟通协调，跟踪项目进展，为下一届论坛取得更加实质性的成果打好基础。

2005 年8 月，中欧青少年艺术夏令营。

今年12月初，由全国友协和丹麦驻华使馆共同举办的首届中丹地方政府合作论坛将在北京举行，中丹地方政府和企业界的300余人将就环保、农业、能源合作开展研讨。中国与丹麦地方政府合作在中国与北欧国家友城发展中起到引领作用。中丹友城在绿色农业、环境保护、人文交流和人员培训方面开展了丰富的交流。哈尔滨市、连云港市、苏州市、无锡市等城市先后与丹麦农业和城市管理方面开展了卓有成效的合作。第二届中丹论坛已确定2017年在丹麦举行。

2017年，全国友协还将着力打造中国与中东欧16国城市外交的交流平台，继续做大做强与西班牙、德国的地方交流项目，积极吸引企业、教育、文化、体育等各界人士加入城市外交的行列，推动城市外交往实处做、往深处做，让城市外交为中欧关系长期稳定健康发展提供不竭动力。

（全国友协欧亚工作部供稿、供图）

In recent years, China-EU relations have developed rapidly. As President Xi Jinping wrote in a signed article published on the Czech : “China-EU relations are at their best period in history and are presented with unprecedented historic opportunities for further growth.”

City diplomacy is an important part of China-Eu relations. Since 2015, the major European countries have been strengthening the efforts to carry out city diplomacy with China, striving for building the bilateral institutional platform for city diplomacy and actively promoting the exchanges and cooperation between two sides, which makes city diplomacy a new engine to the development of China-EU relations.

In June 2015, China-Europe Cultural Panel and China-Europe Paper-Making and Print Communication Exhibition was held in Industrial Museum, Nuremberg, Germany. Image from: Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC)

In April 2016, China-Europe City’s Cultural Panel was held in city hall of Nuremberg Germany. Image from: Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC)

In March this year, the British government took the initiative in proposing that the fi rst Sino-British Local Leadership Forum be held in London and Sheffi eld. The fi rst forum was on the theme of the cooperation between Yangtze River economic belt and northern England economic center, which was aimed at promoting the strategic docking of important regional development of China and Britain. Li Xiao Lin, the President of The Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (hereinafter referred to as National Association for Friendship ) and government leaders from Jiangxi Province , Chongqing Municipality, Hubei Province, Hu’nan Province, Chengdu City and Wuhan City attended the forum. About 500 people participated in the exchange activities, including the local government and business representatives from China Yangtze River economic belt and northern England economic center as well as British political and business executives, academic elite, and so on. about 500 people participated in the exchange activities. Wuhan City and its sister city Manchester signed Wuhan and Manchester Agreement on Carrying out the Strategic Cooperation between the City Cluster in Yangtze River’ Middle Reaches and the Northern England Economic Center. Chengdu City and its sister city Sheffield City signed Chengdu and Sheffield 2016- 2020 Strategic Cooperation Memorandum and Chengdu and Sheffield City Memorandum of Understanding on International Education Cooperation .On November 2, the China-British Local Leadership Forum was held in Shanghai. Jie Weide, the minister of UK Community and Local Government Ministry, led the mayors of seven cities in central England to attend the forum to exchange views with city leaders from the eastern coastal areas of China on industrial upgrading, education and cultural project cooperation and signed a series of cooperation agreements and memorandum of understanding. The two sides agreed that the fifth China and Poland Local Forum will be held in the summer of 2017 in Wuhan. Then, the participants of the two sides attended the opening ceremony of Silk Road International Forum and China-Poland Regional Economic and Trade Cooperation Forum jointly organized by the National Friendship Association, the Development Research Center of the State Council and Trade Promotion Association, and listened to the important speeches delivered by President Xi Jinping and President Duda of Poland. President Xi pointed out: “ local governments are down to earth, they have the advantage of being close to the people, communicating with the people and benefiting people's livelihood, China’s all regions have their own unique advantages. They are enthusiastic about carrying out international cooperation, and Chinese government will actively encourage and support them. The two countries have 27 sister city, so the local government should continue to strengthen exchanges, do much bridging work for the cooperation of local businesses and other private sectors, expand pragmatic cooperation in various fi elds, consolidate friendly non-governmental foundation of China and Poland.” On behalf of the National Friendship Association, President Li Xiaolin also made a short speech at the opening ceremony.

In October 2015, series of events that celebrating 40th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between China and Europe were held in Brussels, Belgium. Image from: Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC)

In October of this year, The Fifth China-France Local Government Cooperation Advanced Forum will be held in Chengdu. Vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress Ji Binxuan and France Foreign Minister Elohim attended the opening ceremony of the forum. More than 70 local leaders from regions, provinces and municipalities of France gathered together with more than 200 Chinese representatives from provinces, municipalities and business community conducted in-depth research and discussion on sustainable development, health care for the aged, education, innovation and entrepreneurship, tourism and cultural heritage protection and development. During the forum, the National Friendship Association also awarded the "Sino-French Local Cooperation Award" to 7 pairs of Chinese and French cities. Through local cooperation, to These cities has achieved a real cooperation projects, making a positive contribution to the local economic and social development. China and France also agreed to hold a Sino-French Local Government Advanced Forum in France in 2017, and continue to promote and implement some preliminary cooperation intentions reached at this forum.

In late November, the First China-Russian Economic and Trade Cooperation and Local Exchanges Forum jointly organized by China and Russia Friendship Association and CITIC Foundation for Reform and Development Studies, the Silk Road Research Center and China-Russian Friendship Association. The forum will aim at promoting the pragmatic cooperation of regions and enterprises of China and Russia. It will conduct an in-depth discussion on equipment manufacturing industry, aviation industry, IT industry, tourism, agriculture and other areas of cooperation. After the forum, relevant local governments and enterprises will set up working groups in order to continue to keep communication and coordination on their topics and trace project development, which will lay a solid foundation for the pragmatic achievements of the next forum.

At the beginning of December, the First Sino-Denmark Local Government Cooperation Forum jointly organized by National Friendship Association and Danish Embassy in China will be held in Beijing. More than 300 people from Chinese and Danish local governments and business community will conduct discussion on environmental protection, agriculture and energy cooperation. The cooperation of Chinese and Danish local governments plays a leading role in the development of sister cities between China and countries in northern Europe. Sino-Danish sister has carried out rich exchanges in green agriculture, environmental protection, cultural exchange and personnel training. Harbin, Lianyungang, Suzhou, Wuxi and other cities have carried out fruitful cooperation with Denmark in agriculture and urban management. The second Sino-Denmark Forum has been decided to be held in Denmark in 2017.

platform for city diplomacy of China and 16 countries in central and eastern Europe, continue to strengthen the regional exchange projects with Germany and Spain, actively attract people from all walks of life , such as the community of enterprises, education, culture and sports, to join the ranks of city diplomacy, promote the city diplomacy to be pragmatic and intensive and let city diplomacy offer inexhaustible driving force for the long-term and stable development of China-Europe relations

(Provided by Eurasian Work Department of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries）

City Diplomacy: A New Engine to the Development of Sino-European Relations