From October 20 to 22, the 2026 China International Friendship Cities Conference will take place in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province. Centered on the theme of “Forging Friendship City Partnerships for Shared Urban Development”, the Conference is co-hosted by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), the China International Friendship Cities Association and the People’s Government of Shaanxi Province, and co-organized by the People’s Government of Xi’an Municipality and the Shaanxi Provincial People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries. Around 700 delegates from over 60 countries, representing more than 100 provinces and states, over 140 cities, as well as over 60 local government organizations and friendship associations at home and abroad will attend the event.

Besides the opening ceremony and keynote forum, four parallel forums will be held, namely “Pursuing In-depth Development to Improve Urban Quality”, “Building a Better Life and Sharing a Bright Future”, “Inheriting Cultural Heritage to Promote Exchanges Between Civilizations”, and “Empowering Agriculture with Technology and Driving Development Through Smart Solutions”. The Conference plans to sign a number of agreements on friendship city establishment and cooperative projects between Chinese and foreign cities, release the Xi’an Initiative to further strengthen solidarity and cooperation between Chinese and foreign friendship cities and local governments, and organize bilateral and multilateral economic and industrial matchmaking events. Supporting activities will include an exhibition of premium products from international friendship cities, an international friendship city youth concert, the Xi’an Dialogue on International Friendship City Cooperation and Development, and the opening ceremony of Xi’an International Friendship Plum Garden. To recognize and commend local governments at home and abroad that have made remarkable contributions to international friendship city work, the Conference will present the Outstanding Contribution Award for International Friendship Cities to 20 Chinese provinces and municipalities, and the Excellent Partner Award for China-Friendly Cities to 40 foreign provinces, states and cities.

International friendship cities serve as an important channel to boost friendly exchanges among peoples of all countries, mutually beneficial economic and trade cooperation, and inter-civilization dialogue. Since the first pair of China-foreign friendship cities was established in 1973, China’s 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government, together with 559 cities, have forged 3,187 pairs of friendship city (provincial/state) ties with 620 provinces (states, counties, regions, prefectures, etc.) and 1,922 cities across 153 countries on five continents, forming an international network of friends and partners spanning the globe.

The Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) is a national people’s organization engaged in people-to-people diplomacy. It guides, coordinates, administers and provides services for China’s efforts to establish and develop international friendship city relations with foreign countries. Initiated by the CPAFFC and founded in 1992, the China International Friendship Cities Association is a national social organization. Its purposes are to pursue peaceful diplomacy, develop international friendship cities, advance practical cooperation and serve local development. All Chinese provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities and cities that have established friendship city ties overseas are its members. Over the years, the CPAFFC and the China International Friendship Cities Association have actively supported Chinese and foreign local governments in establishing friendship city links, and promoted friendly exchanges and practical cooperation between Chinese and foreign friendship cities in economy, science and technology, culture, education, youth affairs and other fields, playing an important role in serving China’s overall diplomacy and local economic and social development. As the largest and highest-level institutional conference on friendship cities in China, the China International Friendship Cities Conference was jointly launched by the CPAFFC and the China International Friendship Cities Association in 2008 and is held every two years.

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