At the invitation of the Changchun Municipal Foreign Affairs Office, from July 20 to 22, a two-person delegation headed by the clerk of the Local Government Exchange Support Center of the South Korean Embassy in China, Cao Ziyu, came to Changchun for work discussion with our office, during which we negotiated the relevant matters of holding the 17th Local Government Exchange Seminar between China and South Korea in 2022 in Changchun, and investigated the venue and route of the event. It officially pressed the start button for the preparatory work of the seminar.

The "Local Government Exchange Seminar between China and South Korea" is hosted by the Department of Foreign Affairs Management of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China and the South Korean Embassy in China, and organized by provincial and municipal foreign affairs offices and the Governors Association of Korea. Aimed at promoting friendly exchanges and cooperation between local governments of China and South Korea, enhancing friendly relationships, strengthening local diplomacy, and sharing and exchanging information, the seminar has been held in various provinces and municipalities in China since 2002. On the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and South Korea, the 17th Local Government Exchange Seminar between China and South Korea this year will be held in Changchun, which is of great significance. The seminar is planned to be held at the Shangri-La Hotel Changchun from September 20 to 24. At that time, representatives of 17 provinces and municipalities of South Korea will participate in online exchanges, and representatives of South Korean local government representative offices in China and foreign affairs offices of 31 provinces, municipalities, autonomous regions and 15 sub-provincial cities in China will attend the seminar on site. The seminar scale is about 200 people.

During the stay in Changchun, the delegation held talks about working affairs with the Jilin Provincial Foreign Affairs Office, the Changchun Municipal Foreign Affairs Office and the China-South Korea Cooperation Demonstration Zone. On the morning of July 21, a symposium was held in the Changchun Municipal Foreign Affairs Office, during which Director Xue Chunzhi, Deputy Director Duan Huaxu and the Asian Affairs Section discussed the contents of the seminar with the delegation, and confirmed the time, place, participants and agenda of the seminar. Clerk Cao Ziyu said that Changchun is designated the host of the seminar this year owing to Changchun's excellent ability of undertaking conferences and believed that Changchun would certainly do a good job with a high level and characteristics. On July 19, the new South Korean ambassador to China took office. After his release from quarantine, he will be immediately reported with the relevant contents of this seminar and invited to Changchun to attend the seminar. Director Xue Chunzhi said that the Changchun Municipal Foreign Affairs Office would carefully prepare for the seminar, actively communicate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the South Korean Embassy in China and the Provincial Foreign Affairs Office, and prepare the time inverted list to promote the work and ensure the success of the seminar.

During its stay in Changchun, the delegation also inspected the China-South Korea (Changchun) International Cooperation Demonstration Zone and carried out communications on the seminar contents such as the promotion of the demonstration zone.