The 2025 Jiangsu-Europe and North America People-to-People Friendship Organizations Dialogue took place in Taicang on June 13.

The 2025 Jiangsu-Europe and North Africa People-to-People Friendship Organizations Dialogue is hosted in Taicang on June 13. [Photo/WeChat account: tcgwfb]

The event aimed to deepen exchanges and collaboration and enhance mutual understanding and trust among people-to-people friendship organizations from Jiangsu province and their counterparts in Europe and North Africa, thereby contributing grassroots-level strength to closer, more inclusive, and sustainable international partnerships.

During the event, Qian Wenhua, vice-president of the Jiangsu Association for Friendship and International Exchanges, noted how Jiangsu's people-to-people organizations have helped forge global people-to-people connections through exchanges in education, technology, trade, and culture. He also called for continued efforts to strengthen collaboration, expand people-to-people diplomacy, and establish new platforms for mutual exchanges.

Xu Huadong, mayor of Taicang, extended a warm welcome to delegates, framing the event as both a reunion of international sister cities and a strategic initiative for Taicang’s global engagement. He expressed hopes that Taicang could leverage the dialogue to strengthen partnerships in trade, innovation, ecological sustainability, and cultural exchange.

Representatives from eight people-to-people friendship organizations in seven countries, including Ante Simonic, president of the Croatia-China Friendship Association in Rijeka, and Joannis Theofanopoulos, president of the Greece-China Friendship Association, emphasized the need for closer cooperation, advocating for shared learning and mutual benefits in global relations.