The company participated in the TikTok Shop & Weifang Food Enterprises Cross-Border Expansion Conference, helping Weifang-based businesses tap into the Southeast Asian market.

Counselor Jin Yuan attended the China (Weifang)–Netherlands Agricultural Economic and Trade Cooperation Exchange Meeting.

International individuals have spoken positively of China's comprehensive relaxation and optimization of its visa-free transit policy

International individuals offer positive feedback on China's comprehensive relaxation and optimization of its transit visa exemption policy— “Another significant measure in steadily expanding institutional opening-up” Recently, China's National Immigration Administration announced that it will extend the stay time for foreign nationals with transit visa exemptions from the original 72 hours and 144 hours to 240 hours (10 days). Simultaneously, 21 additional ports have been added as entry and exit ports for transit visa exemption personnel, and the areas for permitted activities have been further expanded. International individuals interviewed by this reporter stated that the continuous optimization of transit visa exemption and port visa policies has allowed them to fully feel China's sincerity in expanding high-level opening-up to the outside world. Antonio Miguel Carmona, president of the Spain-China Friendship Association, stated that the continuous optimization of visa policies is one of the hallmarks of China's proactive expansion of opening-up to the outside world, showcasing China's confident, open, and inclusive national image. “This is another important measure in China's steady expansion of institutional opening-up.” Tang Zhimin, director of the China-ASEAN Research Center at the Charoen Pokphand Management Institute in Thailand, said that after this relaxation and optimization, China's transit visa exemption policy will effectively coordinate and complement regional visa exemptions, unilateral visa exemptions, and mutual visa exemptions, better serving China's high-level opening-up and high-quality development. Springer Nature Group, an internationally renowned academic publishing institution, has maintained close cooperation with China's academic and publishing circles for many years. This year, many of the group's employees visited China for the first time to discuss with Chinese partners the application of artificial intelligence in publishing processes and to participate in sales meetings held in China. “The continuously optimized visa policy has had a positive impact. Now, without prior preparation, we can leave whenever our work requires it,” said Thomas Rauner, Global President of Books at Springer Nature. “China is welcoming everyone with a wider range and broader scope of opening-up.” Christopher Stackberg, chairman of the Geneva Dream Come True Foundation, frequently visits China. He said, “I recently met some Swiss tourists on a flight from Geneva to Beijing who expressed their deep appreciation and gratitude for China's comprehensive relaxation and optimization of the transit visa exemption policy.” The number of ports applicable to the transit visa exemption policy has increased from 39 to 60, a 54% increase; the number of applicable provinces has expanded from 19 to 24, with 9 provinces newly added or having the policy expanded. After the relaxation and optimization, the applicable areas include not only national key development regions such as the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the Yangtze River Delta region, the Pearl River Delta region, and the Chengdu-Chongqing region, but also areas with rich tourism resources, profound cultural heritage, and unique ethnic customs. At the China Cultural Center in Paris, France, the exhibition “Why is the Yangtze River So Charming—Gao Xiang & Luc Richard Paintings and Diaries Exhibition” is underway. From the summer of 2005 to the spring of 2006, Chinese painter Gao Xiang and French writer Luc Richard jointly traveled upstream along the Yangtze River, recording the natural scenery and humanistic features along the way. At the opening ceremony of the exhibition, Jean Peguret, president of the Zafiro Eurasian Cooperation Promotion Association in France, stated that China's newly optimized transit visa exemption policy provides French tourists with more opportunities to explore China's rich natural and cultural resources. He suggested that the audience present travel to China to experience a panoramic journey from bustling cities to beautiful countryside along the Yangtze River, personally experience the profound cultural heritage of China, and stated that “this is an experience not to be missed.” He said that in recent years, China has made tremendous achievements in infrastructure construction, and the development of high-speed rail and air networks, as well as the improvement of tourism facilities, have made travel more efficient and convenient. The German Idass Architecture Forum has been paying close attention to China's architectural practices and cultural development trends for many years. Christine Fehres, the founder of the forum, and Hans-Jürgen Komoriel, the forum director, have visited China many times for inspections. Komoriel said: “China's relaxation and optimization of the transit visa exemption policy is conducive to enhancing people-to-people exchanges and dialogue. In these turbulent times, these dialogues will further deepen mutual trust between the German and Chinese people, promote mutual understanding, and create favorable conditions for closer cooperation in the future.” (This report was filed from Beijing, Madrid, Bangkok, Berlin, and Paris on December 27. Reporters: Yu Yichun, Yan Huan, Zhang Jinruo, Xu Xin, Shang Kaiyuan) People’s Daily (December 28, 2024, Page 03)