On September 19, at the invitation of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region,  Secretary-General LIM Byung-jin attended and delivered a congratulatory speech at the Third Ningxia International Friendship Cities Forum, hosted by the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, a member of NEAR.

On September 18, Secretary-General Lim Byung-jin attended the official welcome dinner with LIANG Yanshun, party secretary of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region; ZHANG Yupu, governor of Ningxia; CHEN Yong, President of National Political Consultative Conference of Ningxia; LI Jinke, director of the Propaganda Department; ZHU Tianshu, secretary of the Party Committee of Ningxia; and CHEN Chunping, vice-governor of Ningxia. Mr. Lim further introduced NEAR and requested their interest and support for Ningxia's active participation in NEAR activities.

The Third Ningxia International Friendly Cities Forum was held under the theme of "Friendly Relations, International Exchanges, New Development, Shared Benefits." The event was attended by more than 90 dignitaries and diplomatic delegations from friendship cities, including LIANG Enshun, party secretary of Ningxia, and Yuan Mindao, vice chairman of the Chinese People's Association for Foreign Friendship, SYED Mohsin Raza Naqvi, prime minister of Pakistan, NADINE Taylor, mayor of Marlborough, New Zealand. They proclaimed a joint declaration expressing Ningxia's willingness to cooperate with international friendship cities. 

During his visit to Ningxia, Secretary-General LIM Byung-jin was interviewed by Ningxia TV and visited Hyosung Group and Taekwang Co., Ltd. in Ningdong Energy and Chemical Industrial Base with a delegation from Dangjin City. Mr. Lim highly praised Ningxia Government for its active support of Korean companies.