With the theme of global partnership for common and sustainable development, the 2025 Legislators Forum for Friendly Exchanges was held in Urumqi, Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, on Sept 14. Shohrat Zakir, vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress, attended the opening ceremony and delivered a keynote speech.

He said that the Global Governance Initiative proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping further contributes Chinese wisdom and solutions to improving global governance. Parliaments, as legislative bodies, have both the responsibility and capacity to play an active role in advancing global governance, he noted.

He expressed the hope that the legislators would share valuable insights, strengthen exchanges of experience, deepen mutual learning and understanding and promote mutual trust and cooperation in line with the theme of the forum, so as to contribute wisdom and strength to jointly improving global governance, building a community with a shared future for humanity and creating a better future for the world.

Hosted by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, the forum was attended by over 260 participants, including over 60 legislators from countries across five continents.