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Dr. Mingyuan

Mayor of Xi’an,

Dr. Li Mingyuan was born in August 1965. He was a professor and started to work in March 1991. Now, he is the newly elected mayor and a deputy to the People’s Congress of the City of Xi’an.

Work Experience: 1995.06-1997.01 Professor, Department of Communication Engineering of Xi’an University of Posts and Telecommunications 1997.01-2001.05 Deputy Dean, Department of Communication Engineering of Xi’an University of Posts and Telecommunications 2001.05-2004.01 Deputy Director-General, Industry and Information Technology Department of Province 2004.01-2013.02 Deputy Secretary General, Shaanxi Provincial People’s Government 2013.02-2015.01 Director General, Department of Science and Technology of Shaanxi Province 2015.01-2015.03 Vice Mayor, Acting Mayor, Municipal Government 2015.03-2018.03 Mayor, Weinan Municipal Government 2018.03-2019.01 Party Secretary, CPC Weinan Municipal Committee 2019.01-2019.02 Deputy Party Secretary, CPC Xi’an Municipal Committee Mayoral Candidate, Xi’an Municipal People’s Government 2019.02-Now Deputy Party Secretary, CPC Xi’an Municipal Committee Mayor, Xi’an Municipal People’s Government Deputy, People’s Congress of Xi’an Cultural Exchange for Common Prosperity

United Cities and Local Governments Co-President Candidate Statement

Mayor of the City of Xi’an Li Mingyuan

Distinguished President, Co-Presidents, Secretary-General, dear colleagues from local governments, ladies and gentlemen:

As globalization continues to develop in depth, cooperation between cities and local governments has become increasingly close. Since its founding in 2004, the United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), the world’s largest international organization of cities and local governments, has been dedicated to the development and promotion of pragmatic cooperation among cities around the world, the delivery of assistance to local governments in coping with the challenges of globalization and urbanization, making remarkable efforts and contributions to the advancement of sustainable urban development and the welfare of people living in the cities.

Xi’an, the capital of Shaanxi Province, is a world-famous city with profound historical and cultural significance and the starting point of the ancient . Nowadays, it serves as a major city along the New Eurasia Land Bridge, and an important base for scientific research, education and industrial development of China. In recent years, Xi’an has embarked on a new path of scientific development for China’s inland cities through exploration during the process of inheriting traditional , promoting reform and opening-up and speeding up the development of western regions of China. Since joining UCLG as a direct member in 2012 (having been a member since 2004 through the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries), Xi’an, through this broad platform, has participated in international urban development affairs with great enthusiasm, actively carried out exchanges and cooperation with member cities, and made a due contribution to the sustainable development of international cities. We are deeply aware that the development of Xi’an cannot be separated from the support of the international community and we are also more than willing to continue to make more positive contributions to the international community. As the mayor of Xi’an and a member of UCLG ASPAC, I solemnly declare that I am willing to participate in the election of the Co-presidency of UCLG World from the Asia Pacific region, on behalf of my city and citizens, and to fulfill the responsibilities and obligations for UCLG member cities and the cities all co-presidents serve with greater sincerity and determination so as to expedite the development of the organization, promote the exchanges and cooperation between member cities, and achieve the prosperity of cities around the world. To this end, I would like to make the following three statements through which I hope to earn your trust and support.

First, my city and I will make unreserved and unremitting efforts to support the work of

UCLG and achieve its goals.

Xi’an attaches great importance to the exchange and cooperation with the international community and has been proactively seeking and creating opportunities and platforms to communicate and exchange innovative management experience with other cities around the globe. As early as the beginning of the implementation of reform and opening-up policy in 1979, Xi’an was selected as one of the few inland cities opening to the rest of the world with its Terra Cotta Warriors being of world renowned cultural heritage. Since then, hundreds of leaders of states and thousands of local government officials have visited Xi’an, building close ties of cooperation and exchange between the city and other cities of the world.

A whole new image of Xi’an as the gateway city of China has been fully displayed through the successful hosting of various high-class conferences, forums and events, including Euro-Asia Economic Forum for 8 times, Silk Road International Exposition and the Investment & Trade Forum for Cooperation between East & West China for 4 times, Silk Road Business Summit, Xi’an Meteorological Services Forum for the Silk Road Economic Belt, World Xi’an Entrepreneurs Convention, Global Programmers Festival, and Global Hard & Core Technology Innovation Conference for 2 times, 2018 China Top 500 Enterprises Summit and Tourism Ministerial Meeting of Countries along the Silk Road Economic Belt, etc.

Though Xi’an is a relatively new member of UCLG, it has always been passionately supporting the exchanges among international cities and hosting international conferences. If elected as the co-president of UCLG, I shall be more obliged to wholeheartedly serve the organization and make a bigger difference with greater efforts than those made for any international exchange event in the past together with the citizens of Xi’an.

I’ve been working in Shaanxi province for over 20 years as engineer, university teacher and local government official. And I’m deeply bonded to the city of Xi’an in particular. As a witness and participant of the reform and opening-up of Shaanxi province and Xi’an, I’ve gained first-hand experience of international exchanges and cooperation. Therefore, I’m willing to lead Xi’an to participate in the election of the new presidency of UCLG in 2019, and my candidacy has drawn support to both myself and my city from the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, UCLG ASPAC and its recent Council meeting, and other UCLG sections as well as city representatives. Should I be elected as co-president, my city and I will surely live up to the expectations and shoulder greater responsibilities in the cooperation and exchange between the UCLG World Secretariat and major UCLG sections.

Second, my city and I will constantly promote the development of UCLG ASPAC and the exchange and cooperation among ASPAC cities and that between ASPAC and the other UCLG sections.

Asia Pacific cities are important members of the international city community and one of the main drivers of global economic growth in recent years. Meanwhile, the Asia Pacific region has established diverse cooperation mechanisms which have gained impressive results accelerating regional integration. During the past decades, member cities of UCLG ASPAC and other sections have joined hands to carry out close collaboration and made their due contribution to serious global issues, such as the response to economic crisis and climate change, etc. As a with a population of over 10 million in the Asia Pacific region, Xi’an shares a future with the other cities in this region and should assume more responsibilities in various undertakings and activities of China and the Asia Pacific region. In the year of 2009, , then-Vice President of China, attended the Euro-Asia Economic Forum held in Xi’an, laying the foundation for the success of the event and a new chapter of opening to the world of Xi’an. And through this forum, Xi’an has given to full play its role of bridge and bond between the cooperation of different countries, thus deepening the friendship between Eurasian people and driving the world towards a more peaceful path of development. In the future, Xi’an will play a more positive role in coordinating and promoting the engagement in international affairs of Asia Pacific cities and the experience sharing with an aim to enhance the friendship among people of cities in the region and propelling sustainable development of the world.

Third, my city and I will continuously promote the opening of Xi’an to the outside world and deepen international cooperation so as to make positive contributions to the joint development of international and Chinese cities.

The foreign exchange of Xi’an boasts a long history. Over 2000 years ago, the ancient Silk Road starting from Xi’an connected Europe and Asia and opened the gate of foreign communication for Xi’an. More than 1000 years ago, Chang’an (name of Xi’an in ancient China) was the first city with a population of over 1 million among which the number of foreign envoys, scholars and merchants reached over 100,000 accounting for more than 10% of the total. Inclusiveness was the word of Xi’an. Over 1300 years ago, Master Xuan Zang trekked a long way to study in South Asia which later spread to Japan and . During the same period, and Islam were introduced into China. There are still mosques and churches in the center of Xi’an today. For more than a thousand years, different ethnic groups, beliefs and cultures have been co-existing in peace and learning from each other. In the past, Xi’an exerted profound influence on Asia Pacific cities. For instance, and Nara of Japan were constructed following the example of the ancient capital of Chang’an (today’s Xi’an) and preserved till today. Today, Xi’an is the forerunner of China’s reform and opening-up cause, key city in the construction of Belt and Road, gateway to the west, and the third metropolis under construction approved by the central government of China featuring Chinese history and traditional culture. It has accumulated a large amount of foreign exchange experience and the people of Xi’an, under the influence of the culture of , , Sui and Tang dynasties which integrates the essence of both Chinese and foreign cultures, have become optimistic, inclusive and pragmatic pioneers.

Xi’an is also the first in to develop international sister cities. As early as the 1970s, under the effort of then Premier , Xi’an and Nara and Kyoto of Japan became sister cities in 1974. So far, Xi’an has 34 international sister cities in 29 countries on 6 continents and established international friendly cooperation and exchange relations with more than 60 cities.

Besides, Xi’an will build more partnerships and broaden its cooperative network with the help of UCLG, League of Historical Cities and other major international organizations and institutions to learn from the best and share the wisdom of urban development for a better future.

My city and I will uphold the founding principles of UCLG and offer all possible cooperation to the CPAFFC, and promote the exchanges between more Chinese cities and international ones in the field of economy, technology, trade and culture in order to positively contribute to the establishment of an interactive and collaborative mechanism among cities in the era of globalization and the mutual prosperity of all cities in the world.

The 6th UCLG World Congress will be held in Durban, South Africa this year when a new presidency will be elected. If I am elected, my city and I will value the trust placed on Xi’an by UCLG ASPAC and the support rendered to the city by UCLG by sharing our experience and strength and promoting the reciprocating communication and cooperation among ASPAC member cities and that between Asia Pacific region and the rest of the world. Dear colleagues, Charles Dickens once wrote “It was the best of times. It was the worst of times…It was the season of light. It was the season of darkness. It was the spring of hope. It was the winter of despair”. Facing the re-emergence of protectionism and extremism during the process of globalization, we are in need more than ever of the exchange of cultures, innovation of urban development modes and strengthening of pragmatic cooperation to deal with challenges of all kinds and facilitate sustainable development. Therefore, I’d like to reiterate my pledge that I’m willing to assume the duties and responsibilities of the Co-president of UCLG from the Asia Pacific region to actively participate in relevant statutory conferences to jointly discuss global issues with member cities and search for possible solutions. And I will play a positive role in the management of UCLG and make contributions to the common prosperity of humankind together with the organization.

Mayor of Xi’an: