On 1 December 2019, Mr Cheng Lianyuan, Secretary of the Kunming Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China, gave a presentation of Kunming city for the participants and guests of the 4th SCO Marathon.
Cheng Lianyuan spoke in great detail about the city's centuries-long history, as well as its geographical and climatic specifics and local ethnic groups. He noted that the city boasted numerous tourist, cultural and architectural landmarks that highlight its eventful bye-gone times.
While speaking about the city's close relations with Central Asia, the Party Committee Secretary spoke about Seid Ajal Shamsuddin, a noted political activist and a native of Bukhara, Uzbekistan, who headed Yunnan Province under the Yuan dynasty and who made a substantial contribution to the province's social, economic and cultural development. Under his rule, Kunming became the provincial capital, tax was reduced and a unique irrigation system created. The latter made it possible to improve water supplies and to boost harvests. He also prioritised education and cultural ties. The province also received its first Confucian temple on his initiative.
Speaking of contemporary Kunming, its natural resources and potential, the Party Committee Secretary mentioned the following facts: The city abounds in various resources, including the world's second-largest phosphate deposits containing 4.6 billion tonnes of feedstock. Salt deposits contain 13.8 billion tonnes of salt, taking second place nationwide. One of the country's six largest copper producers is also located in Kunming. The city boasts the second-largest Asian flower market. Yunnan Province has one of the country's largest animal and plant kingdoms and also has an impressive tourism potential.
The conveniently located city has a ramified transport infrastructure and can therefore be considered a core part of implementing the Belt and Road Initiative. Five international and eight domestic railway routes pass via Kunming. The city's Changshui International Airport ranks among China's six largest airports in terms of passenger traffic. Kunming has signed twin-city agreements with 43 cities all over the world. Seven countries have opened their consulates general here, with 29 countries opening visa centres. People from 53 countries can transit visa-free for a period of 144 hours. Kunming maintains trade relations with 203 foreign countries and regions, and it maintains investment cooperation with 57 countries and regions.
SCO Secretary-General Vladimir Norov thanked the Party Committee Secretary for the interesting and insightful presentation narrating the history of Kunming city from ancient times to modernity.
He noted that the traditions of friendship, mutual support and joint development that had been established in ancient times formed a solid foundation of current
relations between China and Central Asian countries that are the nucleus of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.
Vladimir Norov noted that the city's socio-economic, cultural and tourism achievements, as well as its efforts to preserve the cultural heritage of local ethnic groups, were quite impressive. He assured his partner that the SCO Secretariat would do everything possible to expand friendship and cooperation between Yunnan Province and Kunming with SCO countries' regions, while strengthening inter-regional contacts.
"We are interested in involving our countries in major exhibitions and fairs in this wonderful city," the SCO Secretary-General enthused.
Vladimir Norov said the SCO prioritised a youth-friendly policy and dwelt on the constructive activities of the China-SCO Youth Exchanges Centre at Kunming University that has a large potential for expanding cooperation in the field of education and youth contacts.
He thanked the municipal administration for their all-round support to the SCO Kunming Marathon that has become a worthy SCO brand.
"Without the assistance of the Kunming city administration and all the concerned local agencies, it would be impossible to hold the annual Marathon involving over 20,000 people. To make my statement sound more convincing, I would just like to say that over 200,000 people annually help maintain security and resolve all organisational matters during the marathon. This is a tremendous number and a colossal endeavour," the SCO Secretary-General added.
Young people spoke during the presentation and shared information about their involvement in projects aiming to reduce poverty in remote provincial villages and to clean Dianchi Lake. Young scientists from Uzbekistan and Russia discussed their concepts for implementing the Belt and Road Initiative.
Heads of diplomatic missions of India, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Nepal and Sri Lanka in the People's Republic of China, the Director of the State Agency for Youth Affairs and Sports of the Kyrgyz Republic, the Consul General of Pakistan in Chengdu city, the Charge d'Affaires ad Interim of Afghanistan in China, Permanent Representatives of Russia, India, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan at the SCO Secretariat, senior diplomats from the embassies of Belarus, Mongolia and Armenia in the People's Republic of China and young scientists and diplomats from Eurasian countries attended the presentation.