The UCLG ASPAC Youth Leaders China Tour was officially launched on March 24 at Nanjing University Suzhou Campus. Under the theme of “Innovation”, young representatives from across the Asia-Pacific regionstarted their journey to explore China, gain insights, foster friendship and pursue mutual growth. Bernadia Irawati Tjandradewi, Secretary General of United Cities and Local Governments Asia-Pacific (UCLG ASPAC); Tri Rismaharini, former Minister of Social Affairs of Indonesia and Ambassador of UCLG ASPAC; Yang Wanming, President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC); Zhang Lefu, Vice Chairman of CPPCC Jiangsu Provincial Committee; Tan Tieniu, Secretary of the CPC Nanjing University Committee and Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences attended this event.
UCLG has served as an important platform for promoting global cooperation among local governments, with the Asia-Pacific region being one of the most dynamic and promising areas in the world. The event, hosted by CPAFFC and UCLG ASPAC and co-organized by Nanjing University, leveraged youth exchanges as a bridge to promote mutual learning and collaboration among cities in the Asia-Pacific region. It also aims at creating a positive and open atmosphere for the upcoming APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting.
Yang Wanming noted that Jiangsu is dynamic in economy and serves as an important window for China’s opening-up, while Nanjing University is a prestigious institution with a rich academic history. These developmental advantages and talent foundations won Nanjing University this chance to host the launch ceremony of this event. He hoped that young participants would act as the advocates of rational understanding, partners in innovative development and practitioners of mutual learning. By playing these roles, they could enhance mutual understanding during the communication, achieve win-win results through collaboration and shape a shared future through integration.
Zhang Lefu wished that the young participants would gain a deeper understanding of Jiangsu and China through face-to-face interactions and immersive experiences, building consensus through exchanges, sharing opportunities through innovative collaboration and embracing responsibilities amidst a rapidly changing world. He also emphasized that Jiangsu would continue to join hands with all parties to strengthen friendships and deepen cooperation with people around the world, contributing to closer people-to-people friendships between China and other countries.
On behalf of Nanjing University, Tan Tieniu extended a warm welcome to the young participants. He stated his expectation that they would gain a more profound understanding of China in a real, multi-dimensional and comprehensive way. By becoming young ambassadors of friendship and cooperation, young participants were encouraged to take active roles in global governance and make new and greater contributions to fostering a shared future for the Asia-Pacific region and humanity as a whole.
Suzhou is the first stop of the delegation’s China Tour. From March 23 to 24, the delegation visited the Taicang Aviation and Aerospace Industry Exhibition Center, Suzhou Industrial Park Exhibition Center, GoodWe Technologies Co.,Ltd. and Embodied AI Robot Training Center, focusing on exploring development topics such as innovation and green growth.
