Chongqing - In recent years, Chongqing has seized the opportunity to accelerate building the city into a Hub for International Exchanges in Central and Western China, continuously integrating and expanding foreign affairs resources.

The city has increased efforts to invite foreign entities and expand its presence globally. As a result, Chongqing's international network has grown, fostering broader exchanges with sister cities, solidifying partnerships, and paving the way for a wider path of friendship.

On October 26, 2011, Chongqing Municipality and Antwerp province in Belgium forged an international friendship city-province relationship, formally building the bridge of their long-lasting friendship.

Antwerp province is Located in the north of Belgium. Its capital, the city of Antwerp, is the commercial and trade center of Belgium, as well as the hub of road and rail transport in Europe, with a world-famous port, the Port of Antwerp, where most of the new energy vehicles and photovoltaic products exported from China to Europe have been shipped to various parts of Europe in recent years.

Antwerp is also famous for its diamond industry and fine art heritage. Its diamond cutting and trading have flourished since the world’s first diamond was cut in Antwerp in 1476, eventually making Antwerp the center of the international diamond industry.

In October 2011, when Chongqing Municipality and Antwerp Province officially established a sister city relationship, POM Antwerp, the Development Authority of the Province of Antwerp, established a representative office in Chongqing to promote cooperation between the two regions.

In 2013, Chongqing University and the University of Antwerp signed a cooperation agreement to establish the CQU - Antwerp Joint International Logistics Institute to train master's degree students in logistics engineering. In the same year, the Chief Minister of the Flemish Region, where Antwerp is located, led an economic and trade delegation to visit Chongqing, and the two sides held economic and trade promotion meetings, logistics forums, and other activities.

In 2016, the Governor of Antwerp province attended the 2016 China International Friendship Cities Conference in Chongqing.

Since 2017, Chongqing Medical University and the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences of the University of Antwerp have been cooperating in the rehabilitation and physiotherapy program.

In 2019, the vice-governor of Antwerp province visited Chongqing, exchanged views on deepening practical cooperation between Chongqing and Antwerp in environmental protection, education, port, and other aspects, and signed a memorandum of understanding on international cooperation with Chongqing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau.

In 2020, an online docking meeting on Chongqing-Antwerp Friendship City Cooperation was held, and the two sides clarified the direction and plans for future cooperation.

In 2021, the 10th Anniversary of the Friendship City Relationship between Chongqing and Antwerp and the Economic, Trade, and Humanitarian Cooperation Exchange Meeting was held via video link, reviewing the past cooperation achievements of the two sides and opening a new chapter of friendly exchanges and cooperation. In the same year, the Chongqing Municipal Development and Reform Commission sent staff to attend the Antwerp Forum 2021 by video. It made a speech to promote the Chengdu-Chongqing Twin Cities Economic Circle.

In 2023, The Dadi (International) Life Science Park in Chongqing Liangjiang New Area and the Science Park University of Antwerp signed a letter of intent to promote deepening exchanges and cooperation in academia, science and technology, and industry. The two sides have already organized mutual visits for enterprises in logistics, high-end service industry, medical equipment and technology, light industrial manufacturing, food trade, cross-border e-commerce, and other fields.

(Han Bing, as an intern, also contributed to the report)

Source: Foreign Affairs Office of Chongqing Municipal People's Government