Today, the Forum of Friendly Cooperation between Heilongjiang Province and sister cities was held under the motto "Together with sister cities, we will celebrate the Winter Olympic Games."
The forum was held in a hybrid format. More than 200 representatives attended: officials and foreign partners from friendly areas and sister cities of Heilongjiang Province, representatives of foreign members of the 6th Council of the Heilongjiang People"s Society for Friendship with Foreign Countries, and representatives of foreign institutions and organizations in Harbin.
The event was organized by the Foreign Affairs Office of the People"s Government of Heilongjiang Province, in cooperation with the Department of Culture and Tourism of Heilongjiang Province and the Department of Physical Education of Heilongjiang Province.
Consul General of the Russian Federation in Harbin V.P. Oshchepkov noted that today"s event is very important for maintaining and developing interregional relations between the two countries and strengthening fraternal friendship. Over the years, Heilongjiang Province has become a "bridge" of communication between Russia and China, and it is extremely important to further develop relations between Heilongjiang Province and Russian regions in various areas, including in the field of physical culture and sports.
Jiang Jiang, vice chairman of the China People"s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, stressed that sister cities play an indispensable and important role in developing relations between countries and promoting friendly exchanges and cooperation.
Wu Wenge, head of the Foreign Affairs Office of the People"s Government of Heilongjiang Province, said that Heilongjiang Province has now established sister city relations with nearly 100 cities in more than 30 countries. The Winter Olympic Games are a worldwide sporting event. Mr. Wu Wenge expressed hope for the strengthening of friendly ties with the peoples of different countries, the deepening of humanitarian exchanges, and the promotion of mutual understanding between peoples.
From the city of Murmansk, the event was attended by representatives of the administration of the city of Murmansk.
– In the context of restrictive measures related to preventing the spread of coronavirus infection, in conditions of closed borders, the city continues to develop inter-municipal cooperation, including with foreign countries. We are ready to participate in joint projects and events in various fields, – commented the acting head of the administration of the city of Murmansk V.A. Dotsnik.
It is worth noting that two Murmansk athletes joined the Russian Olympic team and will represent the Murmansk region at the upcoming international competitions in Beijing.
In the capital of the Arctic, taking into account climatic features, winter sports are actively developing. Comfortable conditions for classes are being created, sports infrastructure is being modernized, and new sports facilities are being built. Thanks to such a large-scale work, Murmansk athletes adequately represent the hero-city at tournaments and competitions of various levels.
Recall that the agreement on sister city relations between the cities of Murmansk (Russian Federation) and Harbin (People"s Republic of China) was concluded on 09/09/2016. The signing of an agreement on the establishment of sister city relations between Murmansk and Harbin took place as part of the business program of the Gulfstream festival dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the founding of Murmansk. Thus, Harbin became the 11th sister city of Murmansk. Throughout the interaction between cities, the areas of tourism, education, healthcare, and urban economy are of primary interest.
