On June 10, 2025, Ambassador Cai Run, Head of the Chinese Mission to the European Union, attended the opening ceremony of the “Jiangsu Week of Grand Canal Culture” in Brussels and delivered a speech. President of the Jiangsu International Cultural Association Xu Ying, the Chinese Ambassador to Belgium Fei Shengchao, former Prime Minister of Belgium Yves Leterme, and others also addressed the opening ceremony. Nearly 200 guests representing various sectors from China and Europe attended the event.

In his speech, Ambassador Cai Run stated that this event added a significant highlight to the celebration of the 50th anniversary of China-EU diplomatic relations. He noted that it coincided with the inaugural International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations. Taking the Grand Canal, a shared symbol of civilization between China and Europe, as a link, the event has built a bridge of friendly exchanges for mutual learning among civilizations and win-win cooperation, playing a positive role in promoting the healthy and stable development of China-EU relations. Also, he emphasized that China and Europe need to build a bridge for industrial synergy to deepen opening up and cooperation, a bridge for low-carbon development to work for a green future, and build a bridge for cultural exchanges to enhance mutual trust and understanding. Ambassador Cai expressed his hope for more European friends to visit Jiangsu and other parts of China to write new chapters in the exchanges and mutual learning between Chinese and European civilizations.

President Xu Ying stated that Jiangsu Province attaches great importance to friendly exchanges with Europe, engaging in candid communication and practical cooperation with European countries and cities, including Belgium, in fields such as science, technology, and people-to-people exchanges. She expected that Jiangsu would continue to build even closer and stronger ties with various parts of Europe, allowing the tree of friendship to bear even more fruit.

Yves Leterme and other European guests spoke highly of Jiangsu’s canal culture and its socio-economic development. They noted the long history and fruitful outcomes of China-Europe exchanges and cooperation and expressed their hope for greater people-to-people exchanges and practical cooperation, bringing Europe-China relations to a new level.

Ambassador Cai and the guests toured the themed exhibition “Millennia-Old Canal, Charm of Jiangsu” in a friendly and vibrant atmosphere.