（July 18, 2024 Tacoma, Washington State）

Dear Mayor Garrett, MayorWoodards, Vice Chairwoman Miller,

President Yang Wanming,Vice Chair Zhang Shuping,Vice Chair Peng Lin,Vice Chair Li Xingwang,

Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear friends,

    Good evening!

It is a great pleasure to join you in the Sixth China-U.S. Sister Cities Summit. On behalf of the Chinese Consulate General in San Francisco, I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the organizers, the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and Sister Cities International. I would also like to extend my best regards to all participants.

This year marks the 45th anniversary of China-U.S. diplomatic relations, as well as the 45th anniversary of the sister city relationships between our two countries. The 286 pairs of sister provinces, states and cities are a testament tothe friendship between our peoples and channels for subnational cooperation.

As President Xi Jinping pointed out, the hope of the China-U.S. relationship lies in the people, its foundation is in our societies, its future depends on the youth, and its vitality comes from subnational levels. To implement the San Francisco Vision and promote a brighter future for our relations, we need joint efforts from both sides. The role of sister cities is especially crucial.

Sister city cooperation can create more opportunities for exchanges. Recently, there has been a significant increase in the mutual visits between our two countries. These visits have enhanced mutual understanding, expanded cooperation, and broughtour friendship closer. We warmly welcome more subnational delegations to visit China. And we look forward to more measures from the U.S. side that could facilitate travel and exchanges, thus creating more enabling conditions for people on both sides to enhance their friendship.

Sister city cooperation can present more platforms for cooperation. The fruitful sister city cooperation not only brings tangible benefits to our two peoples but also provides strong support for China-U.S. relations. Cities are not only participants in China-U.S. exchanges but also beneficiaries of win-win cooperation. In other words, with better China-U.S. relations, our cities can better thrive, and our citizens can enjoy better lives. The Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee has just been concluded. China's commitment to high-quality development and high-level opening-up will surely create more opportunities for subnational cooperation between our two countries.

Sister city cooperation can inject more confidence into China-US relations. President Xi Jinping has personally proposed to invite 50,000 American youth to China over the next five years. The students from Lincoln High School in Washington State were among the first to visit China. The visit was eye-opening and life-changing for the students, allowing them to see a China that is different from what they had heard about. With the support of sister cities, more Chinese and American youth can get to know each other through exchanges, and grow to be envoys of friendship between our two countries.

Dear friends,

Let us join hands for the healthy, stable, and sustainable development of China-U.S. relations. The Chinese Consulate General in San Francisco stands ready to facilitate exchanges and cooperation between the two sides. We look forward to working with all of you to turn the San Francisco Vision into reality and make even greater contribution to a better China-U.S. relationship.

To conclude, I wish the Sister Cities Summit a great success! Thank you all.