8th China-US Sister Cities Summit held in San Francisco

Representative on behalf of cities across China and the United States gathered at a sister cities summit in San Francisco on Friday to share insights on key topics spanning green urban development, culture, tourism, education and youth.

The 8th China-U.S. Sister Cities Summit was initiated by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries in 2014, serving as a significant bilateral event following the meeting between the Chinese and U.S. heads of state in May while receiving positive responses from localities and friendly organizations in both countries.

More than 150 representatives from 15 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities and 12 cities in China, and 160 representatives from 21 states and 36 cities in the United States, gathered to engage in in-depth exchanges and mutual learning on three main themes of green development and urban governance, culture and tourism, and education and youth.

Five cooperation agreements were signed between relevant cities in China and the United States, showcasing the results of 31 cooperative projects covering areas such as sister city partnerships, cultural and tourism exchanges, and youth exchanges.

The participants said these links boost bilateral friendship and contribute to stable China-U.S. relations.

"China [is one of the] largest economies, all the fantastic discoveries and things being done in China. The U.S. and China have a lot to learn from each other and working together, we can conquer the world's problems," said Carol Robertson Lopez, chair emeritus of Sister Cities International.

"The attendees all expressed their willingness to further strengthen cooperation with sister cities. They believe that there is a great potential, a bright future, and strong vitality in local exchanges and cooperation, and they are willing to contribute to and solidify the foundation of the constructive strategic relationship between China and the United States through close cooperation," said Yang Wanming, president of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.

At present, China and the United States have established 50 pairs of sister provinces and states and 238 pairs of sister cities.

8th China-US Sister Cities Summit held in San Francisco

China released on Friday an action plan for artificial intelligence (AI) cooperation and development, as part of broader efforts to strengthen international AI collaboration and bridge the digital divide.

The action plan was jointly issued by the National Development and Reform Commission and other central government departments at the 2026 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance in Shanghai.

The document outlines actions in eight areas covering data, computing power, ecosystems, industrial empowerment, talent development, rules and standards, governance and AI ethics.

It calls for greater access to high-quality data, more inclusive intelligent computing services, and broader sharing of open-source AI ecosystems.

The action plan also seeks to promote deeper AI application across industries, joint cultivation of digital talent, coordinated development of rules and standards, stronger cooperation on AI security and governance, and the development and use of AI for the benefit of humanity.

Also released at the conference was a collection of case studies on China's international AI cooperation.

Published for the third consecutive year, the collection features 10 stories showcasing China's cooperation with partners around the world, highlighting the country's experience and approach in promoting global AI development.

The 2026 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance runs from Friday to next Monday, bringing together official representatives, business leaders, scholars and researchers from more than 100 countries and international organizations.

China issues action plan for AI cooperation, development