Stronger ties with Shanghai
Cork's relationship with its sister city Shanghai, was built on this week as a delegation worked through a busy itinerary.
The Lord Mayor of Cork Cllr John Sheehan led the delegation from Cork city to visit Shanghai at the 2019 China International Import Exposition (CIIE) Sister Cities Cooperation Forum.
The delegation includes representatives from Cork City Council, Cork Chamber and The Tyndall National Institute.
Cllr Sheehan said: “It is a great pleasure to represent our city at the CIIE Sister Cities Cooperation Forum in Shanghai. Cork City Council has steadfastly supported the development of Cork’s relationship with China since 2002.
“With Brexit in mind, it is now more important for us to build and sustain our international connections. This is a great opportunity to develop strategic links in the fields of business, tourism, culture and education.”
Cork began developing ties with China 17 years ago and three years later became the first Irish city to twin with a Chinese city. Now, Shanghai is a sister city of Cork and Hangzhou, Shenzhen and Wuxi are partner cities.
Tuesday saw the delegation attend of the opening of the CIIE forum where the lord mayor delivered a speech focusing on Cork city’s relationship with Shanghai while on Monday, the delegation worked through a packed itinerary, beginning with the Irish Chinese Science and Technology Association Business Conference.
As part of the drive to raise Cork city’s profile in China, the Lord Mayor and the Chief Executive of Cork City Council met with Acting Chief Executive of the Bank of China, followed by a meeting between Mayor of Shanghai Ying Yong and Cllr Sheehan.
The delegations’ visit to China will culminated with a memorandum of understanding meeting with the Shanghai Health Authority.
Cork City Council has been developing ties with China since 2002. In 2005, it signed a Sister City Agreement with the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government.
In 2011, it signed further memoranda of understanding with the Hangzhou Municipal People’s Government and the Wuxi Municipal People’s Government. In 2013, Cork concluded a memorandum of understanding with the Shenzhen Municipal People’s Government.
Cork has 700 Chinese nationals resident in the city and county with over 500 more registered at UCC.