Legislators attend the 2023 Legislators Forum for Friendly Exchanges at the Wuzhou Guest House in Shenzhen on Sept. 21. Photos by Liu Xudong unless otherwise stated

Some 30 legislators from 17 countries and regions gathered at the 2023 Legislators Forum for Friendly Exchanges, held at the Wuzhou Guest House on Sept. 21, to exchange insights on sustainable development and deepen international cooperation on the issue. 

The forum, hosted by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, focused on sustainable development under the theme “Towards Sustainable Development for All.” The forum consisted of an opening ceremony and six sessions that addressed global sustainable development from various perspectives, including democracy and rule of law, basic human rights, green and low-carbon development, ecological and environmental protection, innovation cooperation, cultural advancement, and peaceful development.

A legislator stands in front of a Shenzhen Sightseeing Bus.

Chen Zhongyi, a member of the National People’s Congress, China’s top legislature, said the forum is an opportunity for participating legislators with different areas of expertise to establish deepened communication. “Through this event, we will also show the achievements of China’s reform and opening up to the world,” Chen said.

“This is my first time visiting Shenzhen. Shenzhen is a well-developed and beautiful city,” said Olga Mikhailovna Kazakova from Russia. “I’m engaged in the education field. Global teenagers are increasingly focused on eco-friendliness, and Shenzhen’s innovative environmental protection technologies impressed me,” she said.

Herve Juvin, a member of the European Parliament, commended Shenzhen for its environmental achievements and technological advancements. “Shenzhen offers easy access to nature, many green areas, mountains, rivers, and beautiful seaside beaches,” Juvin said. “This is a major achievement, and it could be an example for so many countries in the world.”

Legislators take an interest in a car model during a visit to BYD on Sept. 20. Photo from SD-Agencies

Prior to the forum, the legislators visited China’s leading electric vehicle manufacturer BYD in Pingshan District. The visit to BYD impressed Juvin, who views electric vehicles as a significant part of the solution for a green world. “The success of BYD is a model for the world. I hope the EU will keep doors open to trade with China as we have a lot of opportunities to transform unsustainable energy sources into sustainable ones, especially with electric vehicles,” Juvin said.

During a visit to the “Great Tides Surge Along the Pearl River: 40 Years of Reform and Opening up in Guangdong” exhibition at the Shenzhen Museum of Contemporary Art and Urban Planning, Walid Iqbal, a Pakistani senator, recognized China’s progress in poverty alleviation, development, and modernization. “I think it [the exhibition] is being arranged very beautifully. And it is made up of all these stages where you can see, step by step, how this great progress has been achieved,” Iqbal said.