Pack of deals to bolster exchanges, cooperation

Nations join hands on medical treatment, education, tourism and culture

China and Russia signed deals to further cooperate in medical treatment, property investment, education, tourism and culture on Tuesday at the fifth China Beijing International Fair for Trade in Services.

At the 2018 Belt and Road Initiative Forum for City Cooperation for China and Russia during CIFTIS, officials and representatives from both countries inked 10 cooperation agreements.

Of these, the Beijing Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine signed an agreement with Russian officials to launch a TCM action plan for 2018-20 between Beijing and Moscow.

According to the plan, the two sides will establish a TCM international system through intergovernmental cooperation to advance bilateral trade in TCM services.

"With changes in health concepts and medical models, TCM plays an important role in treating various diseases and has been widely recognized by society," said Pan Yue, director of the foreign exchange center at the Beijing TCM administration.

Medicine has no borders, said Pan, adding that China and Russia should share resources to promote TCM cooperation in education, culture and industry.

Combining medical treatments from different countries can create the best therapy for some patients, said an official from the health committee in Russia. "We want to learn from historic TCM treatment experience," he added.

According to the official, Russia has set up a child rehabilitation center in the south of the country, where local and Chinese experts provide services.

In addition, representatives from both countries signed cooperative agreements to establish more cultural links under the Belt and Road Initiative.

According to the agreements, the two countries will add sister-cities featuring the red culture, increase programs for education exchanges and explore cooperation opportunities in tourism along the Volga River and the Baltic Sea.

There is little difference in cities' components, such as infrastructure, shopping and entertainment facilities, public organizations and businesses, said Wang Nengxian, former deputy director of the Chinese National Academy of Arts. "Yet behind these components in a city's landscape is an urban planning philosophy that determines the city's development and future.

"The cultural heritage accumulated in the urban evolution gives the city its unique character and style," Wang said.

Cultural co-construction between cities helps to promote the enrichment and development of urban culture through exchanges and cooperation, said Wang, adding that cities in both countries should demonstrate their respective characteristics to enhance cooperation in trade and culture.

"China and Russia have similar civilizations that need to find common value," said Gvaskov Petr, executive vice-president of the Russia and China strategic cooperation association.

"In the age of information, we need to emphasize mutual trust," he said.

In order to enhance bilateral cooperation, Russia has set up a government agency in Beijing to provide information on its local laws as well as real estate.

The platform helps to tackle issues involved in obtaining visa and legal residence for Chinese people in Russia, according to a senior official from Crimea.

"We plan to make everyone get a property certificate in Russia," he said.

At the forum, representatives from Russian cities including St. Petersburg and Krasnodar held discussions with Chinese peers from cities such as Shenyang in Liaoning province and Qingdao in Shandong province to strengthen intercity cooperation.

liangkaiyan@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 06/01/2018 page24)