Urumqi, Peshawar celebrate 41 years of sister city relation

URUMQI, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 13th May, 2026) Urumqi and Peshawar, Pakistan, celebrated the 41st anniversary of their sister-city relationship, with representatives from both sides gathering to renew friendship and explore cooperation.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of China-Pakistan diplomatic relations. In 1985, Urumqi and Peshawar officially became international sister cities, the first of their kind in Xinjiang, opening a new chapter for Urumqi's foreign exchanges and cooperation.

Yakup Paydulla, mayor of Urumqi, noted in his address that since the establishment of the sister-city relationship, the two sides have carried out productive cooperation in government-to-government exchanges, friendly delegation visits, economic and trade fairs (such as the Urumqi Trade Fair and the Eurasia Commodities Trade Expo), cultural exchange, and language learning. These efforts, he said, have continuously deepened the friendship between the two cities, CEN reported on Wednesday.

Looking ahead, the mayor said the two cities enjoyed broad prospects for cooperation. Urumqi stood ready to work with Peshawar to continuously advance mutual visits between government bodies, parliaments and goodwill delegations. It would also deepen pragmatic cooperation in key areas such as economy and trade, agricultural science and technology, infrastructure, energy and people's livelihoods, so that the outcomes of friendship and cooperation could better benefit people on both sides.

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Babar Saleem Swati, Speaker, Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa of Pakistan, said China-Pakistan friendship was rooted in history, mutual trust and respect. Regions of the two countries have long been closely linked via the ancient Silk Road, which has served as a bridge for cultural exchanges and economic development.

He expressed the hope that Peshawar and Urumqi would take this event as an opportunity to carry forward their tradition of friendship, share the responsibility for development, and expand exchanges and cooperation in education, science and technology, culture, agriculture, trade, and other fields, enriching the bilateral relationship with vivid examples of cooperation and contributing to the building of an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future.

At the event, representatives from both sides jointly created a calligraphy piece reading "China-Pakistan Friendship Lasts Forever," exchanged commemorative gifts, and watched a cultural performance together.

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