Kunming: The 6^th China-South Asia Cooperation Forum was held in Kunming, Yunnan last week, attracting the participation of more than 200 participants, including dignitaries, diplomats, and representatives from business and cultural sectors of more than 10 countries including China, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives, and Nepal.

They engaged in dialogues both online and offline on the theme of “Join Hands for Open and Inclusive Development,” exploring new horizons for regional cooperation.

The China-South Asia Cooperation Forum is a major multilateral diplomatic dialogue platform between China and South Asian as well as Indian Ocean Rim countries. Since its inception in 2018, five editions have been successfully held.

This year’s forum was co-hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China and the People’s Government of Yunnan Province, undertaken by the Office of Foreign Affairs of Yunnan Province.

On the occasion, Xu Feihong, Chinese Ambassador to India, said that in recent years, China and South Asian countries have written a new chapter of friendship for the new era under the guidance of high-level exchanges, via the platform of the Belt and Road Initiative, grounded in cooperation in areas vital to people’s livelihoods, and bonded by people-to-people exchanges.

“True cooperation is based on trust and mutual understanding. That has been proved by Maldives-China relations,” said Ahmed Nazim, Deputy Speaker of the People’s Majlis of the Maldives.

Arun Hemachandra, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment of Sri Lanka, said that Sri Lanka is working on the transition to green energy, coastal ecological conservation, and sustainable agricultural development.

The attendees jointly released the Kunming Action Plan of the 6th China-South Asia Cooperation Forum.