[6 April 2022] Facilitated by the UNOSSC Cities Project, Xiamen City of China and Santiago Metropolitan Region of Chile formulated a partnership to promote South-South cooperation in advancing sustainable development. Governor of Metropolitan Region of Santiago, Mayor of Xiamen, Chinese Ambassador to Chile and representatives from UNOSSC and the Embassy of Chile in China joined the event online.
Both Santiago and Xiamen have expressed strong interests in exchanging knowledge, innovative technologies, and good practices in promoting sustainable transport. Santiago won the 2017 International Sustainable Transportation award for improvements in major public spaces, cycling, and public transport. Xiamen-based carrier, Xiamen Airlines, operated its first fully carbon-neutral flight in February 2022, a move towards more environmentally friendly operations.
In December 2020, UNOSSC Cities Project coordinated the first meeting between Xiamen and Santiago Metropolitan Region in which representatives of both localities introduced each other and identified common interests for cooperation. Since then, the two localities have held many online exchange activities to share their experiences in technology innovation, environmental protection, green transportation, and other development areas.
Mr. Huang Wenhui, Mayor of Xiamen City, Fujian Province, China
With a quote about friendship from Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, Mr. Huang Wenhui, Mayor of Xiamen City, said the cooperation is expected to promote both governmental and people-to-people friendly partnerships, as well as cultural, business and trade ties. The two regions will utilize networks and platforms of UNOSSC to expand international cooperation and promote knowledge sharing, mutual learning and dialogues under the framework of South-South and triangular cooperation.
Mr. Claudio Orrego, Regional Governor of Metropolitan Region of Santiago, Chile
Mr. Claudio Orrego, Regional Governor of Metropolitan Region of Santiago, underlined the importance of decentralized cooperation between regional and local governments. With the support of UNOSSC, the two regions can jointly explore cooperation in various areas, such as ecological and environmental protection, technology and innovation, infrastructure, and cultural exchange.
Left: H.E. Mr. Niu Qingbao, Ambassador of China to Chile, Right: Mr. Mauricio Carabelli, Second Secretary of the Embassy of Chile in China
H.E. Mr. Niu Qingbao, Ambassador of China to Chile and Mr. Mauricio Carabelli, Second Secretary of the Embassy of Chile in China underlined common interests between both localities and thanked UNOSSC for promoting cities exchanges between China and Chile and look forward to a stronger partnership between Xiamen and Santiago.
Through a video message, Ms. Xiaojun Grace Wang, Deputy Director of UNOSSC, congratulated Xiamen and Santiago on the cooperation and said it will give a new impetus to South-South cooperation between Asia and Latin America. She also welcomed representatives of both regions to join the Global South-South Development Expo 2022 to exchange innovative practices and solutions for sustainable Covid-19 recovery and building a resilient future.