China News Service, Haikou, October 29 (Reporter Wang Ziqian) The 2026 Council Meeting of the United Organization of Cities and Local Governments Asia-Pacific Region (referred to as the World Organization of Cities and Local Governments Asia-Pacific Region) opened in Haikou on the 29th. About 400 city representatives, heads of international organizations, experts and scholars from 12 Asia-Pacific countries and regions attended the meeting.
This conference was co-sponsored by the World Urban and Land Organization Asia-Pacific Region, the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, and the Haikou Municipal People's Government, with the theme of "Linking Free Trade Ports and Joining Hands to Build a Green, Smart, and Inclusive Asia-Pacific Urban Future."
Bonatya Tandradevi, Secretary-General of the Asia-Pacific Region of the World Urban and Land Organization, expressed in her speech that she hoped to take advantage of the Hainan Free Trade Port's closed operations to discuss the green development path of Asia-Pacific cities to cope with global climate change; to discuss strategies for artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure to assist urban governance; to promote economic and trade docking and transform development into people's livelihood and well-being.
Lu Xiangdong, Vice President of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, said that the Asia-Pacific region has many countries, diverse civilizations, complementary economies, geographical proximity, and close interpersonal relationships. It is one of the regions with the most development vitality and growth potential in the world. Faced with the current complex and ever-changing international situation and the numerous and intertwined global challenges, the Asia-Pacific region should deepen mutual trust, strengthen cooperation, and work together. This conference was held in Haikou to allow all parties in the Asia-Pacific to more intuitively see China's determination and actions to continue to open up to the outside world, and to provide new opportunities for cities in the Asia-Pacific in terms of economic and trade exchanges, marine ecological cooperation, cultural tourism exchanges, and digital innovation.
On December 18, 2025, the Hainan Free Trade Port officially launched island-wide customs closure operations. Haikou, where this conference is held, is anchoring the core leading area of the Free Trade Port and the "Six Cities" (a city of freedom, convenience and openness, a city of industry-city integration and innovation, a city of fashionable consumption and vitality, a low-carbon green ecological city, a livable and happy city for all ages, and a charming island and cultural city).
Haikou Mayor Zhang Yong said at the meeting that Haikou is opening up links to Asia-Pacific resources at a higher level and is willing to rely on the platform of the Asia-Pacific Council of the World Urban and Land Organization to deepen pragmatic docking with member cities in the fields of green and low-carbon development, smart city governance, and blue economic cooperation, promote more cooperation projects to be implemented and bear fruit, and jointly write a new chapter in the sustainable development of Asia-Pacific cities.
The World Organization of Cities and Local Governments is a global international organization representing cities, local governments and municipal associations around the world. It is headquartered in Barcelona, Spain. United Cities and Local Governments Asia Pacific is the largest regional branch of the organization's global network. Up to now, the number of member cities in mainland China has reached 32.
During this conference, meetings of special committees on local cooperation, tourism, and culture, meetings of the Asia-Pacific Executive Board of the United Organization of Cities and Local Governments, and plenary meetings of the Council will be held. Theme forums, tours, and signing ceremonies for sister cities and cooperation projects will be held, and a number of special supporting activities will be carried out simultaneously.
