On November 12, 2018, Vice Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou met with participants of the 2018 seminar for officials of consular departments of countries jointly building the Belt and Road Initiative.

Kong Xuanyou expressed that Chinese and foreign personnel exchanges have witnessed constant and rapid growth in recent years. Highly valuing facilitation of Chinese and foreign personnel exchanges, the Chinese side has signed mutual visa exemption agreements with different scope of application with 138 countries and concluded agreements on simplifying visa procedures with 44 countries. Meanwhile, we actively protect the safety of overseas Chinese citizens and also protect the legitimate rights and interests of foreign citizens in China in accordance with law. The Chinese side is willing to continue to exchange experience with peers in various countries, learn from each other, deepen mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation, and push the building of the Belt and Road Initiative for new outcomes.

Appreciating the opportunity to attend this seminar, the participants of various countries expressed the willingness to continue committing to developing friendly relations with China, and jointly promote forward-looking development of consular cooperation with the Chinese side to propel the building of the Belt and Road Initiative.

14 middle and high ranking officials of departments of consular affairs, immigration and police from 8 countries including Bahrain, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam attended this seminar.