A joint delegation comprised of officials of the NEAR Secretariat and the Government of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region aimed at promoting NEAR members’ participation in the upcoming 9^th General Assembly recently finished a two-week tour of member regions in Korea, Japan and Mongolia. During the tour, which began on 16 April with an official meeting with BAE, Yong Tae, Vice Governor for Administrative Affairs of Jeollanam-do Province (Korea), Secretary General Tan Zhaohua of Ningxia People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries conveyed an invitation letter from Ningxia Governor Wang Zheng Wei, offering updated information on the conference agenda and programs.

The delegation visited Jeollanam-do, Gyeonggi-do and Gyeongsangnam-do Province of Korea, Hyogo, Shimane and Tottori Prefecture of Japan and Ulaanbaatar City, Bayankhongor and Uvurkhangai Province of Mongolia, most of which agreed that their regions would be represented at the General Assembly by senior officials at vice governor-level or higher, as requested by the Chair region. Furthermore, the delegation visited the Chinese Embassy in Mongolia and the headquarters of the Japan Local Government Center (CLAIR) to ask for cooperation in encouraging more regions to attend the meeting.

On the 3^rd June, a second delegation of Ningxia officials is scheduled to head to Russian regions and organizations including the Primorksy Territory.