On July 23, a delegation of Hawaii state legislators visited Zhongshan, Guangdong, commemorating the 40th anniversary of sister-state ties between Guangdong and Hawaii. Their journey through the birthplace of Dr. Sun Yat-sen became a profound exploration of shared history and future collaboration.
The delegation toured the Museum of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, home to his former residence, reflecting on Honolulu's role as his revolutionary base. Representative Sean Quinlan expressed awe at the connection: "Zhongshan is a very beautiful and modern city, so it's a pleasure to visit." He emphasized the significance of Sun's Hawaiian years: "In Hawaii, we're very honored that Dr. Sun Yat-sen spent part of his life there. It's very clear from visiting this museum... that a lot of his revolutionary ideals were perhaps founded in Hawaii."
Delegates visit the Museum of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, home to his former residence
Quinlan articulated the delegation's mission: "That's what our delegation is here to do—to hopefully strengthen those important ties between Guangdong province and the state of Hawaii, and also to look for areas where we can cooperate in terms of tourism, economic development, and university studies."
The historical bond remains powerfully alive today. As documented, 80% of Honolulu's Chinese community trace their roots to Zhongshan—a connection formalized when the cities established sister-city ties in October 1997. For 27 years, they have maintained extensive cooperation across economy, culture, healthcare, and education.
Senator Lynn Pualani DeCoite marveled at the preserved history: "It's amazing the amount of literature and information your folks have in the relationship with Dr. Sun Yat-sen and Hawaii." She detailed her fascination with "how he made his way to Hawaii, promoting peace, revolution, all his background of being a doctor, and just building a relationship from Chinese to native Hawaiian."
Proposing deeper cultural exchange, DeCoite stated: "I'd like to encourage more exchange of students from here, as well as Hawaii." She advocated for genealogical exploration, believing it would help "have a better understanding of who you are and where we came from."
The delegation later witnessed modern China's engineering prowess at the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link. They observed the mega cross-sea project integrating bridges, artificial islands, tunnels, and underwater interchanges—a physical manifestation of connectivity that resonated deeply.
Hawaii delegates enjoy the breathtaking view overlooking the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link
Liu Xin, a delegate from the Hawaiian Chinese Community, voiced diaspora pride: "As overseas Chinese, we are very proud of these products." Experiencing the link's efficiency firsthand, he noted, "It's very convenient from Zhongshan to Shenzhen. It only takes 25 minutes. It benefits both Shenzhen people and Zhongshan people. I'm really happy to see that."
Speaking from his transnational perspective, Liu concluded, "I'm living in Hawaii, so I would like to see people from Hawaii, from the U.S., have more communication with the Chinese people." His vision extended beyond regional ties: "We would like to see the two sides—from Zhongshan and Hawaii, Guangdong and Hawaii, and also China and the U.S.—have more friendship and understand each other."
Reporter: Guo Zedong, Zhang Jiayue (intern)
Photo & Video: Pan Jiajun
Video cover: Pan Jiajun
Editor: Yuan Zixiang, James, Shen He
