The “Dialogue between Youth Leaders from Jiangxi and International Friendship Partners at Different Levels 2026” was held in China’s Jiangxi Province from September 21 to 25.

The event brought together young voices from Asia, Europe, Africa, Oceania and Latin America, highlighting the role of youth in fostering international cooperation, driving innovation and strengthening people-to-people ties across borders.

Under the theme “Energy of Youth for a Better World,” the Dialogue combined high-level discussions with industrial visits, business matchmaking and cultural exchanges, creating a platform for practical cooperation in green development, economic and trade collaboration, vocational education and youth development.

The event was hosted by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), and jointly organized by the Jiangxi Provincial Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, the China Friendship Foundation for Peace and Development, the Jiangxi Provincial Youth Federation, the Jiangxi Branch of the China Vocational Education Association and the Jiangxi Provincial Federation of Industry and Commerce.

Xia Wenyong, vice governor of Jiangxi Province, Sun Xueqing, vice president of the CPAFFC, Anoop Ranjan Bhattarai, chairman of the Nepal-China Executives Council, and Lopez, second deputy mayor of Alcorcón, Spain, attended the opening ceremony. They also delivered speeches.

Xia Wenyong welcomed the international participants and introduced Jiangxi’s economic and social development. He emphasized people-to-people friendship, sister-city exchanges and youth engagement as key forces behind Jiangxi’s international exchanges and opening-up.

Xia called on international partners to use their networks and resources to promote cooperation with Jiangxi’s industrial chains. He also encouraged sister cities to maintain communication, expand cooperation and deepen mutual understanding and cultural exchange. Addressing the young leaders, he urged them to act as ambassadors of friendship, strengthen mutual learning and sustain cross-border friendships, contributing youthful energy to long-term cooperation.

Sun Xueqing said people-to-people diplomacy is an important foundation for strengthening friendship among peoples and supporting state-to-state relations. He encouraged international partners and young leaders to use their advantages in resources, technology, networks and platforms to deepen practical cooperation and promote mutually beneficial development.

He also called on young people to promote mutual learning among civilizations with an open and inclusive outlook and to use international cooperation and sister-city exchange platforms to build new bridges connecting people and communities.

At the opening ceremony, Ji’an City of Jiangxi and Alcorcón of Spain signed a cooperation agreement. In addition, the Jiangxi Provincial People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the Cambodia-ASEAN Investors Association signed another cooperation agreement, marking new steps toward institutionalized international cooperation.

Bangladesh was represented by two participants invited by the Jiangxi Provincial Foreign Affairs Office.

They were Mohammad Tawhidur Rahman, chief executive of Lilliput Essentials Company in Bangladesh, and Dr Mohammad Saiyedul Islam, senior lecturer and researcher at the School of Overseas Education (School of Foreign Languages) at Sanming University.

Mohammad Tawhidur Rahman participated in the dialogue on “Youth Perspectives: Embracing Inclusive Collaboration for Win-Win Development,” sharing his views on the role of young people in promoting inclusive cooperation and mutually beneficial development.

Dr Mohammad Saiyedul Islam participated in the International Symposium on Youth Development and the 9th Forum on the Communist Youth League and Youth Development, where he delivered a presentation titled “The Similarities and Differences in the Growth and Development of Chinese and Bangladeshi Youth: Reflections from My Experience.”

Drawing on his experience of studying and working in China, Dr Mohammad Saiyedul Islam discussed the similarities and differences he has observed in the educational experiences, aspirations and development paths of young people in China and Bangladesh.

Beyond the formal discussions, participants travelled to Ji’an and Fuzhou to observe local development and explore potential cooperation in economic, trade, cultural and tourism sectors.

The programme included visits to the Zixi County Two Mountains Transformation Center, Dajue Mountain, Lingzhi Town, Wenchangli Historical and Cultural Park and Jiangxi Weijia Bamboo Culture Technology Co., Ltd.

The visits allowed international participants to observe local approaches to ecological development, cultural preservation, rural revitalization, industrial development, and the transformation of natural resources into economic opportunities.

The event also gave young representatives from different regions an opportunity to build personal connections beyond formal institutional exchanges. Through discussions, site visits, and cultural activities, participants shared experiences from their respective countries while learning about Jiangxi’s development and its approach to international cooperation.

The five-day dialogue concluded with a shared emphasis on the role of young people in building bridges among communities and countries. By bringing together youth leaders from diverse backgrounds, the event sought to turn dialogue and friendship into longer-term cooperation. It also aimed to contribute youthful energy to a more connected world.

More than 100 young participants from 25 countries, including Bangladesh, Nepal, Cambodia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, South Korea, Laos, Thailand, Japan, Pakistan, Spain, Russia, Italy, Bulgaria, Ireland, France, Portugal, Zambia, Algeria, Nigeria, Botswana, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and Fiji, as well as China’s Macao region, took part in the event.