On the evening of January 9, the Changzhou Municipal People’s Government held the 2020 Chinese New Year Reception and the Awarding Ceremony for Honorary Citizens of Changzhou. More than 100 representatives for the foreigners, Hong kong, Macao and Taiwan compatriots and overseas returnees in Changzhou attended the event. Deputy Party Secretary and Acting Mayor Mr. Chen Jinhu delivered a speech and presented certificates to the 17th group of honorary citizens.

Mayor Chen said in his speech that in the year 2019, Changzhou advanced as our great motherland developed. In this year, Changzhou advanced with higher quality, optimized its business environment, further enhanced opening-up and improved peoples� lives for the better. The year 2020 is the decisive year of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects with high standard. It is also the year to carry forward the development towards a strong, wealthy, beautiful and highly-civilized new Changzhou. We will firmly implement Xi Jinping’s Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, fulfill the new concept of development and try the best to spearhead high-quality development. He hopes that friends from home and abroad will continue to care for and support the reform and opening-up of Changzhou as well as its economic and social development.

Chen pointed out that the expats in Changzhou are not only the witnesses, but also the participants of Changzhou’s development. Going forward, the city will stick to the concept of openness and inclusiveness as well as mutually beneficial cooperation, and create a more convenient working and living environment for expats in Changzhou.

Mr. Thomas Pilz and other nine foreigners were awarded as the new honorary citizens of Changzhou. Up to now, Changzhou has awarded a total of 136 foreigners the title of “Honorary Citizens of Changzhou� in recognition of their outstanding contributions in promoting the city’s progress in opening up, investment attraction and international trade, technological innovation, and culture, education and healthcare undertakings, as well as facilitating friendly exchanges with other countries.