2016中国国际友好城市大会在山城重庆隆重开幕。我代表中国政府，向大会召开表示热烈的祝贺！对各位嘉宾和朋友们表示热烈的欢迎！

The 2016 China International Friendship Cities Conference is now open in the mountainous city of Chongqing. On behalf of the Chinese government, let me extend my warm congratulations on the opening of the conference and sincere welcome to all the distinguished guests and friends!

当今时代是个快速发展的时代，当今世界是个五彩缤纷的世界。在我们这个"地球村"，国与国之间需要更多增进交流和了解，城市与城市之间需要搭建起更多沟通、交流和友谊的桥梁。

We are living in a fast-changing era and a colorful world. In this global village, countries need greater exchanges and understanding and cities should have more bridges of communication and friendship.

中国国家主席习近平提出，大力开展中国国际友好城市工作，促进中外地方政府交流，推动实现资源共享、优势互补、合作共赢。这里，我就本届会议"创新发展，合作共享"的主题谈几点建议：

President Xi Jinping pointed out that we need to enhance friendship between Chinese and foreign cities through more exchanges between local governments, so that they can share resources, complement each other with their respective strengths and achieve win-win cooperation. In that connection and under the theme of this conference "Innovation for Development and Cooperation for Sharing", I wish to make the following suggestions:

第一，扩大友好城市交流，厚植人民友好情谊。人民友好是国家友好、世界和平的基石，友城交流是人民友好的重要渠道。中国开展国际友好城市活动40多年来，已同130多个国家建立了2340对友城关系。湖南省长沙市与乌干达恩德培市积极开展文化教育交流，共建"恩德培－长沙示范小学"。江苏省南京市与日本爱知县通过加强青少年交往和艺术团体交流，不断增进民间友好。云南省瑞丽市与缅甸木姐市每年在"十·一"黄金周举办"中缅胞波狂欢节"，深受两国民众欢迎。国家关系发展，根基在人民，活力在交往。希望国际友好城市拓展交流领域，丰富交流形式，加深各国人民相互了解，增进友好情谊。

First, increase exchanges among friendship cities and deepen people's friendship. Amity between the people is the cornerstone of friendship among countries and world peace, and exchange among friendship cities is an important channel for amity between the people. Over the past 40 years of international friendship cities activities, China has established 2,340 pairs of friendship city relations with more than 130 countries. Changsha city of Hunan province and the city of Entebbe in Uganda have had vibrant education and culture exchanges, and built together the "Entebbe-Changsha Demonstration Primary School". Nanjing city of Jiangsu province and Aichi prefecture of Japan have deepened their friendship through youth and art troupe exchanges. Ruili city in Yunnan province and City of Muse of Myanmar organize the "China-Myanmar Pauk-Phaw Carnival" during China's National Day holiday week each year, which is quite popular among the local communities. The development of state to state relations is rooted in the people and invigorated by exchanges. I hope that international friendship cities can expand the fields of exchanges, engage in more forms of interactions so as to deepen mutual understanding and friendship between the people.