The Qingdao SCODA Pearl International Expo Center. [Photo/IC] 

To commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative and the 22nd anniversary of the establishment of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the city of Qingdao in Shandong province will host the SCO Forum on People-to-People Friendship and the Forum on Friendship Cities.

This prestigious international event, scheduled from June 14 to 16, is set to provide a new platform for expanding and enhancing exchanges and cooperation between Qingdao and cities in SCO member countries. 

The Qingdao Summit of the SCO in 2018 opened a new chapter for the city to expand its circle of friends. After the summit, Qingdao added nine sister cities, including Tajikistan's capital Dushanbe, Kyrgyzstan's capital Bishkek and Armenia's capital Yerevan, and close relationships with three cities through diplomatic channels such as high-level visits. 

Qingdao has established sister-city relations or friendly ties with 15 cities in 12 SCO countries. The increased quantity and quality of friendly cities have opened up broad space for Qingdao to bolster local cooperation with SCO countries.

In November 2006, Qingdao signed a friendship cooperation agreement with Perm, Russia. From 2008 to 2021, the two cities carried out extensive exchanges in diverse fields, such as economy, education, sports, and horticulture.

In June 2015, Qingdao signed a memorandum of understanding with Bishkek. In December 2021, the two cities signed an agreement to establish sister-city relations.

In August 2017, a delegation from Qingdao visited Yerevan, and the two cities signed an intention to enhance friendly cooperation. Subsequently, the two cities carried out in-depth economic, trade, and tourism exchanges.