The 7th China–CEEC Local Leaders' Meeting and the 2026 Shandong International Friendship Cities Cooperation and Exchange Week kick off in Jinan, capital of East China's Shandong province, attracting over 600 guests worldwide. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

For five days in late May, Shandong was turned into a global crossroads. From May 25 to 29, more than 600 delegates from 44 countries and 15 provinces, cities and regions in China are gathering not just in conference halls, but also for factory tours, cultural nights, and city walks. They came for the 7th China–CEEC Local Leaders' Meeting and the 2026 Shandong International Friendship Cities Cooperation and Exchange Week in Jinan, capital of the province, in search of new friendships, deals, and a shared belief in "Shaping the Future Together".

High-level attendees included deputy prime ministers from North Macedonia and Serbia, as well as parliamentary leaders from Bosnia and Montenegro. During the event, Shandong signed new friendship agreements with regions including Minsk in Belarus, Ionian in Greece, Région Maritime in Togo, and Jizzakh in Uzbekistan. The province has established 93 sister province/state partnerships and 681 sister-city ties in 109 countries.

The friendship week featured 23 events, including a China–CEEC local leaders' dialogue, a provincial governors' forum on green and low-carbon development, and a business matchmaking session that brought together over 100 companies in new energy, digital economy, and healthcare. Key outcomes include the "Jinan consensus" and revised "China–CEEC provincial governors' association charter".

Delegates also plan to visit eight Shandong cities for cultural and economic exchanges, including special events in Zibo, Binzhou, Linyi, and Liaocheng. A concert and exhibitions of local products and agricultural machinery added a cultural element to the program, helping deepen ties between Shandong, CEEC, and international sister cities.

Shandong enterprise representatives chat with the Greek delegation at the matchmaking exchange session. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

This year's event, featuring the theme "Shaping the Future Together", is expected to see more new friendships and cooperation ties. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]