Li Zijun, vice mayor of Jinan, met with a delegation of 29 diplomats from European countries in Jinan, capital of Shandong province on Aug 15.

The delegation visited Jinan for the 13th European Diplomats Seminar in an effort to explore cooperation opportunities between Jinan and European countries.

Li extended his warmest greetings to the guests.

He said that at present Jinan is implementing an aggressive strategy to become a multifaceted economic hub. The construction of key areas and parks such as the central business district, the international medical science center and the pilot zone to replace old economic development drivers with new ones has provided strong support for the city's accelerated development and promises broad space for its future development.

Li added that the 13th European Diplomats Seminar offered an opportunity for Jinan to showcase its achievements in 40 years of reform and opening up and create an "international business card".

Li presented the certificate of "goodwill emissary of Jinan city" to the visiting diplomats. 

Li hoped that the diplomats, as envoys of friendship, will tell Jinan's stories and spread Jinan's voice to the world, building a bridge of friendship between Jinan and European countries and creating more international cooperation opportunities.

Firstly organized in 2005, the European Diplomats Seminar, the members of which are all from foreign ministries of EU countries, is the first training and exchange project set for the European region by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Over the past years, more than 300 European diplomats have visited China to understand China's regional and global initiatives and promote mutual exchange and cooperation in various fields. Those visits, according to China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, have made great contributions to the development of China-EU relations.

During their four-day stay in Jinan, the delegation will visit the city's industrial parks and enterprises to better understand the economic development and investment policies of Jinan.                                            

Li Zijun (left), vice mayor of Jinan, presents a certificate of "goodwill emissary of Jinan city" to a visiting diplomat on Aug 15 in Jinan, capital of Shandong province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A group photo of Li Zijun, vice mayor of Jinan and the visiting diplomats from European countries in Jinan, capital of Shandong province on Aug 15. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] 

The European diplomats visit Inspur Group, one of the country's largest server makers based in Jinan. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] 

The European diplomats visit the China National Heavy Duty Truck Group (SinoTruck) in Jinan. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]