The plenary session of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee (Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Leading Group of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee) was held on the afternoon of February 13. The meeting reviewed the 2025 work priorities and 2024 work reports of the Foreign Affairs Committee and the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Leading Group, the opinions on improving the management of official overseas visits in 2025, and the implementation plan for providing special visa and immigration inspection facilitation for foreign business visitors. The meeting also featured a presentation on the arrangements for major diplomatic events in Beijing in 2025. Yin Li, Secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee and Head of the Foreign Affairs Committee, presided over the meeting. Yin Yong, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee, Mayor of Beijing, and Deputy Head of the Foreign Affairs Committee, attended the meeting.
Overarching Principles:
This year marks the final year of the 14th Five-Year Plan and is critical for laying solid foundations for the upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan period. Therefore, it is vital to fulfill foreign affairs tasks effectively in the capital. To this end, we should implement the guiding principles from the 20th CPC National Congress and the second and third plenary sessions of the 20th CPC Central Committee, and follow the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee on foreign affairs. We should align with the diplomatic endeavors of the Party and the country, and continuously improve Beijing’s role as a center for international exchanges. We should refine the long-term mechanism for serving major national events, actively integrate into the high-quality Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) cooperation, and consistently strengthen overall planning and implementation of the city’s foreign affairs work. With greater determination, we will strive to achieve new milestones in advancing the capital’s foreign affairs efforts.
Key Messages:
We should continue to promote high-quality development through high-standard opening up. This includes making the “Four Platforms” more international and ensuring the success of other international events such as the Global Digital Economy Conference and the Beijing International Film Festival to bring about more practical cooperation outcomes. It is essential to improve working mechanisms. We will implement relevant measures to provide special visa and immigration inspection facilitation for foreign business visitors through policy release, promotion, and interpretation to facilitate cross-border travel. Additionally, efforts will be made to improve the city’s international environment to attract more high-level international resources to Beijing. We will enhance coordination for international conferences and exhibitions and optimize organization processes to improve the city’s exhibition service industry and produce a unique “Beijing practice”. We will be cost-minded and outcome-oriented as we host international events.
Key Messages:
We will further expand Beijing’s international influence by deepening sister-city cooperation and broadening its international “circle of friends”. Efforts should be made to organize high-level international cultural festivals and sports events to enhance the city’s global image and impact. More thematic cultural and tourism promotion activities will be held to diversify the supply of international tourism products. Another point underlined is the need to strengthen the Party’s leadership in foreign affairs. Under the overall planning and coordination of the Foreign Affairs Committee, and the guidance and supervision of the Beijing Foreign Affairs Office, Party committees at all levels should fully assume their primary responsibilities to undertake various foreign affairs initiatives. Furthermore, attention should be given to the management of official overseas visits within the city.
Key Messages:
We should earnestly study and implement General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important statements on Hong Kong and Macao affairs, and leverage the strengths of Beijing, Hong Kong, and Macao to promote greater cooperation and development. We should stay on the right course, fully, faithfully, and resolutely implementing the “one country, two systems” policy. The Hong Kong/Beijing Co-operation Conference and Beijing-Macao Cooperation Conference mechanisms are good platforms for strengthening collaboration in trade, finance, technology, and talent, and enhancing mutual exchanges and learning. Additionally, it is crucial to implement the central government’s favorable policies for Hong Kong and Macao, make life and work in Beijing more convenient for Hong Kong and Macao compatriots, and respond promptly to the needs of Hong Kong and Macao enterprises.
Other municipal leaders, including Xia Linmao, Sun Junmin, Zhao Lei, Tan Xuxiang, Qin Yunbiao, and Cui Shuqiang, as well as Zeng Jin, Secretary-General of the People’s Government of Beijing Municipality, also attended the meeting.
(Written by Qi Mengzhu and Fan Junsheng)
