BEIJING: Nearly 50 diplomats from 26 diplomatic missions and international organizations in China visited the Beijing Municipal Administrative Center in Tongzhou district, eastern Beijing, on Friday, gaining firsthand insight into its development and transformation over the past decade since its construction.
The delegation included representatives from the embassies of Cape Verde, Moldova, Denmark, Uzbekistan, Indonesia, and Ethiopia, as well as the United Nations Environment Programme China Office.
Diplomats toured the commercial districts, taking in panoramic views and learning about the area’s urban planning, industrial development, and Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal heritage preservation.
The Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal was built for more than 2,500 years and Tongzhou was the starting point of the canal.
They also visited high-tech companies to experience innovations such as intelligent translation and renewable energy technologies.
In Tongzhou’s rural areas, the delegation explored rural revitalization achievements and enjoyed fruit-picking activities.
The visit concluded with a Grand Canal cruise, a popular tourism program highlighting the view along the Tongzhou part of the canal, and a viewing of Onward with the Canal, an immersive water show showcasing the canal’s cultural heritage and its historic role in China’s grain transportation network.
Arlindo do Rosário, ambassador of Cape Verde to China, said that he enjoyed the visit with his family and was impressed by the scenery and development of the Beijing Municipal Administrative Center which marked its 10th anniversary on May 27.
“We can appreciate not only today’s China, but also the richness of ancient Chinese civilization,” he said.
The event was jointly hosted by the city’s foreign affairs office and the Tongzhou district government.
It forms part of a series of initiatives designed to showcase Beijing’s development achievements to the international community and deepen exchanges and cooperation with foreign partners.
Through site visits and face-to-face interactions, the program helps diplomats gain a more comprehensive understanding of Beijing while promoting practical international cooperation, officials from the office said. –The Daily Mail-China Daily news exchange item
