Government officials Wan Min, Secretary of the CPC Jilin Provincial Committee, Han Changfu, Governor of Jilin Province, Gao Guangbin, Secretary of the CPC Changchun Municipal Committee, and Cui Jie, Mayor of Changchun, received delegation representatives attending the 11th China-Japan-ROK Sister City Conference at Shangri-La Hotel late evening on August 5, 2009.

“China, Japan and ROK have this conference held at a crucial stage when the world is dealing with the financial crisis. I hope substantial achievements can be made at the meeting,” Secretary Wan Min said. “Jilin Province is an old industrial base in Northeast China, and it occupies important positions in automobile, petrochemical and processing of agricultural products. Jilin Province maintains good relationship with neighboring countries ROK and Japan. In addition to working in collaboration for economic development, the three regions have also established very good relations in the fields of environmental protection, science, and culture. In the first half of this year, Jilin Province witnessed sound economic development while dealing with the financial crisis, and meanwhile the people’s living standards including living conditions were improved a lot. More efforts were put on both the economic development and the environmental protection. Up to now, the forest coverage rate in Jilin Province has reached 43%. Sewage treatment plants will be built in all counties and cities of the province. This project will be completed in the next few years, and it will help improve our environmental protection ability to a higher level.”

“China-Japan-ROK Sister City Conference reflects the spirit of regional cooperation, and is in pace with the times of the 21st Century. The opening of the conference will undoubtedly strengthen the friendship of the three countries, and thus realize common development,” Chairman Chen Haosu of the International Friendship Cities Association of China was quoted as saying.