Strengthening economic development and cultural exchanges between San Francisco and Shanghai will not only benefit the two cities but also contribute to global progress, according to San Francisco Mayor London Breed.
Breed celebrated in advance the 45th anniversary of Shanghai and San Francisco being "Sister Cities" at a business forum on Saturday.
Breed attended the Shanghai-San Francisco Sister City Business Forum and a signing ceremony of cooperation documents. San Francisco is willing to continue to leverage its own advantages and build more friendly bridges between the United States and China, according to the mayor at the last stop of her China visit.
"Today we were meeting with the Shanghai mayor to talk about and commemorate our Shanghai sister city relationship. As sister cities, San Francisco and Shanghai each a dynamic hub on opposite sides of the Pacific, have long-served as the epic centers of economic and cultural exchanges between the United States and China. We can 'unlock' new avenues for economic development innovation, and cultural exchange that will benefit not just our cities, but also continue to help with global process," Breed said.
Her firm recognition of the value of decades-long bilateral relations was echoed by the Shanghai side.
"President Xi Jinping has emphasized that sister provinces, states and cities are important carriers for deepening the friendship between the Chinese and American people and achieving mutual benefits and win-win outcomes. For nearly half a century, San Francisco and Shanghai have maintained close cooperation and exchanges. For example, Yangpu District has carried out five rounds of cooperation in areas such as technology, finance, innovation and entrepreneurship, and cultural exchanges," said Zhou Haiying, district head, Shanghai Yangpu District.
The Mayor's tight schedule in Shanghai also included visits to the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall and meeting and lunch with Shanghai local government officials, and a Huangpu River cruise in the evening, with provision for more discussions on business cooperation opportunities.
"The beauty of Shanghai reminds me of the beauty of San Francisco and that's why we're sisters. This is the big sister, we're the little sister," Breed said.
"We're going to be welcoming to San Francisco in the Bay Area several really big delegations. So it feels like what was stopped by the pandemic has started again," said John Grubb, Chief Operating Officer at the Bay Area Council.
Shanghai and San Francisco shared the first direct flight from China to the United States back in 1981. Some 40 years later, the two 'sister cities' may still be the firm pillars for the bridge of cooperation and mutual understanding between the two countries.
Breed arrived in China on April 13 for an eight-day visit that also took her to Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Beijing.
San Francisco, Shanghai make unremitting contribution to Sino-US ties as sister cities: mayor
San Francisco, Shanghai make unremitting contribution to Sino-US ties as sister cities: mayor
