On September 2, 2024, Chinese Ambassador to Belgium Fei Shengchao met with Governor of West Flanders Carl Decaluwé. Counsellor Xie Yajing of the Chinese Embassy and representatives from the business community and education institutes of West Flanders joined the meeting.

Ambassador Fei said that ten years ago, in his speech delivered in Bruges, West Flanders, Chinese President Xi Jinping cited the meaning of “Bruges” of “bridge” in Flemish and proposed the building of “four bridges” between China and Europe. Facing the turbulent international situation, more bridges need to be built between China and Europe. The Chinese side will work with West Flanders to harness the role of sub-national cooperation to build more bridges for the development of China-Belgium and China-Europe relations.

Governor Decaluwé said that West Flanders, attaching great importance to developing relations with the Chinese side, will further expand ties with China’s Zhejiang Province, its sister province, and deepen and substantiate practical exchanges and cooperation in different areas between the two sides.