Henan delegation successfully concluded its friendly visit to Luxembourg, Germany and Russia on July 18.

First stop: Luxembourg

In the meeting hall, President Bartholomeo of Luxembourg and his parliamentary colleagues extended a warm welcome to the visiting delegation from Henan Province. Bartholomeo said movingly, “In Luxembourg, Henan is well-known to every household. I believe that Luxembourg must also be known to the people of Henan, because our cooperation has been mutually beneficial and very successful.”

At the Prime Minister's residence, Prime Minister Bettel warmly received the Henan delegation and invited them to visit the Prime Minister's office to show that he attached great importance to the delegation through such high-level courtesy. He said that the visit of the Henan delegation will play a positive role in implementing the agreement reached during the meeting with President Xi Jinping on the construction of the "Aerial Silk Road" between Zhengzhou and Luxembourg. He highly appreciated Henan delegation's practical move to actively conduct exchange and cooperation in Europe.

Second stop: Germany

Scharping, chairman of Rudolf Scharping Strategie Beratung Kommunikation Company, has long been committed to friendly cooperation between China and Germany. Over the past two or more years, he has led German enterprises to visit Xuchang for 16 times and promoted the implementation of the project of the China-German (Xuchang) Medium and Small-sized Cooperation Park.

On July 11, Scharping presided over the China (Henan)-Germany High-level Political and Business Dialogue in Stuttgart, Germany. He said that he went to China almost once a month. Mutual understanding is a prerequisite for cooperation, and he is convinced that the participation of German business representatives in such high-level dialogues will help to dispel concerns in the cooperation.

On July 13, at the 2018 China (Henan)-German (Hamburg) “Silk Road” Economic and Trade Fair held in Hamburg, the Chinese-version promotional brochures of Hamburg Bureau for Economic Promotion is exquisite and practical, which makes the Henan delegation feel especially considerate. The finance minister of Hamburg attended and addressed the Economic and Trade Fair. He said, “Hamburg is the gateway to the world. This gate is not only for Hamburg, but also for China. We welcome partners from China to go from here to the world.”

Third stop: Russia

The year from 2018 to 2019 is the China-Russia Local Cooperation and Exchange Year. In Russia, every member of the Henan delegation can feel the profound friendship between China and Russia. On July 17, chairman of the Russia-China Friendship Association attended the China (Henan)-Russia business activities. He believes that the “Belt and Road” Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping is a world consensus and a philosophy of global economic cooperation. In his view, Henan delegation has actively participated in the activities of the China-Russia Local Cooperation and Exchange Year and held dialogue meetings, which will contribute to the implementation of various cooperation plans.

Deputy minister of the Ministry of Transportation and director of the General Administration of Civil Aviation of Russian Federation expressed his appreciation, and said that exchanges and cooperation are only the beginning, and China and Russia are opportunities for each other. Seizing the opportunity will bring tangible benefits to the countries and people of both sides, hoping that the exchanges and cooperation between the two sides will be like the Yellow River running through the Central Plains, surging ahead ceaselessly.

From Luxembourg, to Germany and to Russia, with the support of the “Belt and Road” Initiative, Henan delegation has focused on the policy, facility, smooth trade, financing and people, deepened understanding and exchanges, enhanced friendship and promoted cooperation, and made its concept of mutual creation, mutual benefit and mutual sharing more consistent and much clearer, and the goal of building a community of shared future for mankind more explicit and determined. (Reporter Zhu Dianyong, Trans Zhao Hanqing)