China-Asean sister cities emergency management training and exchange activities were held in Nanning, Guangxi, China recently. The event was co-organized by the Department of International Cooperation and Rescue, the Ministry of Emergency Management of China and the Department of Emergency Management, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Delegations from Siem Reap Province of Cambodia, Perak State of Malaysia and Mukdahan Province of Thailand were invited to exchange experience with departments of emergency management, meteorology, fire rescue and foreign affairs of Guangxi.

The event focused on cooperation between China, Cambodia, Malaysia and Thailand in emergency management and resilient city development, analyzed innovative models of urban safety risk prevention and grid construction of grass-roots emergency management, and jointly discussed concepts and methods of China-Asean sister cities disaster management. Exchanges on comprehensive disaster prevention, disaster risk reduction and relief, and grid construction of grass-roots emergency management were conducted as well. Key areas and directions of future cooperation among all parties concerned were clarified, and made an important step to construct a long-term cooperation mechanism.

All parties concerned also discussed the Memorandum of Cooperation on China-Asean Sister Cities Emergency Management (draft version), conducted in-depth discussions on cooperation mechanisms such as information sharing, joint prevention and control, emergency rescue cooperation, training and exchanges, and regional framework cooperation, and jointly explored practical cooperation paths for regional emergency management. These activities have laid solid foundations for more ASEAN-China sister cities to work together, improve the level of comprehensive urban disaster management, and jointly prevent and resolve major safety risks.