Shaanxi province received the "International Friendship City Award for Outstanding Contribution" at the China International Friendship Cities Conference 2024, which concluded on Nov 19 in Kunming, Yunnan province.

A total of 20 Chinese provinces and cities were honored with this award. Forty foreign counterparts received the "Friendship City Award for Outstanding Partnership with China", including the North Kazakhstan Region in Kazakhstan and Nara in Japan, which Shaanxi recommended.

Since 2018, Shaanxi and the North Kazakhstan Region have deepened their ties through high-level exchanges, agricultural and trade cooperation, and joint projects, including a logistics and processing park built by Xi'an Aiju Grain and Oil Industrial Group.

Shaanxi and the North Kazakhstan Region established a formal friendship in May 2023 during the China-Central Asia Summit in Xi'an.

Nara, Xi'an's first international sister city, has maintained a strong relationship with Xi'an since their 1974 agreement. Their collaboration spans culture, education, and sports, setting a model for China-Japan local exchanges.

Shaanxi currently has 114 international sister cities in 41 countries, including 34 at the provincial level and 80 at the municipal level. Shaanxi leads China in sister city ties with Central Asia, having established relationships with all five Central Asian nations. Moving forward, Shaanxi plans to expand its global partnerships.