Mayors from China and Southeast Asia Join Hands for a Brighter Future 🌏
Hey there! Do you know what’s cooler than cities working on their own? Cities working together! Recently, mayors and leaders from China and countries in Southeast Asia got together in a big meeting in Nanning, a city in south China. They talked about how they can make their cities more open and friendly to each other. Isn’t that amazing?
What’s the Big Deal?
You might be wondering, why is this important? Well, when cities and countries work together, they can help each other grow. For example, trade (that’s when countries buy and sell things from each other) between China and Southeast Asian countries has grown from over $600 billion in 2019 to nearly $1 trillion in 2024! That’s a lot of zeros! 💰
Working Together Like Friends
Mr. Nong Shengwen, the leader of Nanning, said that China and Southeast Asian countries have become really good partners. They now share many things, like factories and supplies, which help them make cool stuff together.
Another important person, Mr. Atsaphangthong Siphandone, who is the governor of Vientiane (that’s the capital city of Laos), said that friendship is super valuable. He believes that by being open and working together, cities can become even better places to live.
Who Was There?
The meeting was called “Building a China-ASEAN Community of Friendship: Urban Openness and Cooperation.” Leaders from countries like Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam came to join the fun!
What Did They Talk About?
- How to make their cities more open and welcoming 🏙️
- Ways to work together in business and trade 💼
- Sharing cultures and learning from each other 🎎
- How to make their cities run better 🚌
The Nanning Initiative
At the end of the meeting, they introduced something called the “Nanning Initiative.” This is a plan to help China and Southeast Asian countries become even better friends and work together more closely. How cool is that?
So, next time you think about cities, remember that teamwork isn’t just for sports or school projects. Even cities and countries team up to make the world a better place! 🌟
Reference(s):
Mayors from China, ASEAN highlight urban openness, cooperation
cgtn.com
