On December 16th, Chen Shuangwei, Director of Shenyang Foreign Affairs met with Pryzhkova Natalia, the New Consul-General of Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Shenyang. The two sides held talks on jointly carrying out exchanges and cooperation in the fields of economy, trade ,culture and people to people exchanges between Shenyang Foreign Affairs Office and the Russian Consulate General in Shenyang next year.

Director Chen Shuangwei extended congratulations to Consul-General Pryzhkova on assuming her new position, expressed gratitude for the bridging role played by the Russian Consulate in promoting exchanges and cooperation between Shenyang and Russia. He said that this year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Russia and is the firstyear of the "China-Russia Years of Culture". Under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, China-Russia relations have reached the highest level in history. The practical cooperation between the two countries has continued to deepen, injecting new impetus into the inheritance of China-Russia friendship from generation to generation and into the mutual understanding and affinity between the peoples of the two countries. Shenyang highly regards the cooperation with Russia and spares no effort to promote “opening up to the north”. Exchanges and cooperation between Shenyang and its three Russian friendship cities, including Irkutsk, Ufa and Novosibirsk, have achieved fruitful achievements. A total of 137 Russian-invested enterprises have been approved and established, ranking 32nd among the 137 countries and regions that have invested in Shenyang. 45 enterprises have been registered in China-Russia (Shenyang) Economic and Trade Cooperation Industrial Park, and 93 projects, including the Russian United Confectionery have been successfully signed. The China-Russia (Shenyang) Economic and Trade Cooperation Fair and the China-Russia Local Investment Development and Trade Cooperation Conference have been successfully held in Shenyang. The Liaozhong District of Shenyang has established friendly relationship with the Kalininsky District of Ufa City in Russia, opening a new chapter in friendly cooperation between the two cities.

At present, Shenyang is focusing on accelerating the construction of international central city in Northeast Asia and creating "one hub and four centers". It is also all-round promoting the city IP of "Hello, Shenyang", building a model city of international friendship cities exchanges and an international exchange center city in Northeast Asia. Moreover, it continues to optimize the "One-stop Comprehensive Service Platform for Foreign Nationals", creating an international business environment that is livable, suitable for work, business, study and travel for foreigners. He hoped that the Russian Consulate would further play its bridging role and take advantage of its resource channels to offer greater support in aspects such as inviting Russian political and business elites to visit Shenyang, constructing friendship city (friendly districts and friendly parks) relations, promoting overseas students communication and interaction,expanding deepen cooperation in culture, tourismand sports so as to jointly promote more fruitful achievements in exchanges and cooperation between Shenyang and Russia in various fields.

Consul-General Pryzhkova said that she was very pleased to come to Shenyang to assume her duties and expressed gratitude for the strong support that Shenyang Foreign Affairs Office had always given to the work of the Russian Consulate. She said that in the recent years appreciated achievements had been made in exchanges and cooperation between Russia and Shenyang in the fields of economy, trade, culture and people to people exchanges. In the future, the Russian Consulate will continue to play a good bridging role, strengthen communication with Shenyang Foreign Affairs Office in the construction of the China-Russia (Shenyang) Economic and Trade Cooperation Industrial Park, overseas students coming to study in Shenyang, the establishment of friendship city relationship, and cultural, tourism and sports exchanges, strengthencommunication and cooperation, and jointly write the local chapter of the China-Russiacomprehensive strategic partnership of coordinationfor a new era.