Guangzhou and Belo Horizonte signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Exchange and Cooperation, establishing their international friendship city relationship on October 14. This marks Belo Horizonte as Guangzhou's fourth international sister city in Brazil, following Recife, Salvador, and Rio de Janeiro.
On the morning of the same day, Sun Zhiyang, Mayor of Guangzhou, met with a delegation led by Álvaro Damião da Paz, Mayor of Belo Horizonte, and the two mayors signed a memorandum to strengthen exchanges and cooperation between the two cities.
Sun stated that Belo Horizonte, as an important economic center in Brazil, has rich scientific and technological innovation resources and dynamic enterprises. It aligns with Guangzhou's development vision and shows strong industrial complementarity with Guangzhou, offering both sides broad prospects for cooperation.
Sun hopes that, with the signing of this memorandum, the two cities can continuously explore potential cooperation in economy and trade, scientific and technological innovation, port logistics, and other fields, deepen exchanges in areas such as culture, tourism, and sports, enhance mutual understanding, and promote friendship between their peoples.
Álvaro Damião expressed his pleasure at returning to Guangzhou and witnessing the city's significant changes and vibrant atmosphere. He emphasized that the signing of the memorandum is of great significance and looks forward to both sides seeking more cooperation opportunities in trade and investment, automobile manufacturing, culture and education, and other fields, to achieve win-win development and improve the well-being of their citizens.
About Belo Horizonte
Located in southeastern Brazil, Belo Horizonte is the fourth-largest city in the country. As the capital of Minas Gerais—the third-largest state in Brazil—the city serves as its political, economic, and cultural center.
Belo Horizonte has a population of over 2.5 million and a GDP of about 100 billion reais (18.3 billion US dollars). Its industrial output value ranks third in Brazil, following São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, with main advantageous industries including smelting, steel, automobile, electric locomotives, petrochemicals, textiles, cement, and gem processing.
The city places great importance on scientific and technological innovation, boasting excellent institutions of higher education, such as the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), to cultivate talent. It is also home to several unicorns and leading enterprises in Brazil's scientific and technological community. Additionally, the San Pedro Valley, known as the "Silicon Valley of Brazil," is located there and is one of the most crucial science and technology entrepreneurship communities in Latin America.
The city features the Pampulha Modern Ensemble, listed as a World Heritage site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), as well as various music, dance, and technical schools, and cultural and leisure venues, including art galleries, museums, parks, and squares.
Photo | Guangzhou Foreign Affairs Office
Editor | Liu Ziying (intern), Li Lan (intern), Liu Lingzhi, James Campion, Shen He
