Since China’s reform and opening up initiated in 1978, Zhongshan has seen remarkable achievements in its export-driven economy and friendly exchange with foreign countries and regions. In July 1989, Zhongshan People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (ZPAFFC) was founded. Since then, the Association has been making friends with people from all over the world, and expanding its exchanges with different countries and regions.

According to the Analects of Confucius, a Chinese classic composed of the views of philosopher Confucius and his contemporaries, a man should be steadfast at the age of thirty. This also applies to ZPAFFC, which celebrate its 30th anniversary this year. Over the past 30 years, it has developed various cooperation in fields of culture and education, economy and trade, science and technology, medical care, with international organizations, institutions, communities and individuals all over the world and established sister relations with different cities with an aim to enhance people-to-people friendship, international cooperation, world peace and joint development.

Over the past 30 years, ZPAFFC has set up a bridge connecting Zhongshan and the outside world and promoted President Xi’s thought on diplomacy, under the support of higher-level friendship associations, Zhongshan CPC committee and municipal government, as well as its international members.

Worldwide connections

Zhongshan has established sister relationship with 5 cities, signed memorandum of friendship and cooperation with 14 cities, set up cooperative relationship with 17 international organizations, signed about 100 cooperation agreements with international organizations in the fields of education, sports, culture, health, tourism, science and technology. Some towns in Zhongshan have also established friendly cooperation with foreign cities. Over the past three decades, ZPAFFC has expanded its friendship to more than 40 countries and regions, including the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, Germany, Costa Rica, and Malaysia.

In November 2019, Vice President of the Federated States of Micronesia Yosio P. George led a delegation to Zhongshan to promote exchanges and cooperation. (Photo provided by ZPAFFC)

Among Zhongshan’s five international sister cities are Moriguchi in Japan, Honolulu in the United States, Burnaby and Markham in Canada, and Rull in Micronesia. These cities witnessed Zhongshan’s economic growth and international friendship expansion and also had fruitful cooperation with the city in economy, trade, education and culture. In 2016, Honolulu won the International Friendship Cities Exchange & Cooperation Award in the China International Friendship Cities Conference 2016. The Conference was co-organized by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and China International Friendship Cities Association. This award represents the highest honor for the work of international sister cities in China. And Honolulu was the only prefecture-level sister city of cities in Guangdong that won this award.

This year, the city held a celebration of 30th anniversary of ZPAFFC, on which over 50 overseas council members of the Association and international friends from 20 countries and 50 local organization members of the Association gathered in Zhongshan to explore cooperation. The celebration included a series of promotion conferences and visits, which allowed the guests to understand Zhongshan’s industry, R&D and investment environment and its involvement in the development of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay area. Katsuki Nishibata, Mayor of Moriguchi, said that he hopes the high-tech enterprises in Moriguchi could be introduced to Zhongshan soon.

In December 2018, the Moriguchi delegation took a group photo with the intangible cultural heritage Drunken Dragon when attending the 30th anniversary of the establishment of sister city relations between Zhongshan and Moriguchi. (Photo provided by ZPAFFC)

Governmental exchanges

Talking about international exchanges, people may refer to solemn and formal meetings. However, in recent years, the exchanges had an atmosphere more like family get-together in both national and local level, receiving a number of senior guests in Zhongshan while organizing friendship delegation to visit good friends around the world.

Since the mid-1970s, Pacific island countries have established diplomatic relations with China in succession. Today, the exchange and cooperation between China and Pacific island countries are deepening day by day. Zhongshan also expanded friendship with Pacific island countries. The city leaders of Zhongshan led delegations to visit the Federated States of Micronesia many times, during which agreements were reached to establish sister cities, and to enhance the cooperation in the fields of health, culture and tourism. In 2016, the medical delegation of Zhongshan visited the Federated States of Micronesia for the first time and set up a Medical Training Center of Zhongshan in Yap State Hospital. Up to now, medical experts from Zhongshan have visited the country several times to offer voluntary medical service to the public, and they became so popular among local citizens. Yosio P. George, Vice President of the Federated States of Micronesia, visited Zhongshan three times and said that he was deeply touched by the enthusiasm and friendliness of Zhongshan and its people.

Every year, consular officials in Guangzhou would be invited to join the ‘Tour for Consular Corps in Zhongshan’. This event has become a platform for international exchange and a showcase for cityscape and development progress, enabling Consular officials and their families from different countries to have a deeper understanding of Zhongshan. Over the years, consular officials from Germany, Poland, Switzerland, Brazil, Peru, Chile, Vietnam, Malaysia, and other countries visited Zhongshan with a series of economic, trade and cultural exchange. In 2017, Swiss-Chinese Friendship Days was jointly held by Zhongshan and the Consulate General of Switzerland in Guangzhou, covering the exchange in the fields of culture, art and investment consultation. During the event, the Mayor of Zhongshan proposed cooperation with Ecole Hoteliere de Lausanne. The two sides signed a cooperation agreement to build the first Sino-Swiss Hotel Management Vocational College in Guangdong, and the project is well under implementation.

Frequent exchange visits between cities have enhanced international friendship for Zhongshan. In 1993, Moriguchi's Mayor Kita Hiromi led a delegation to visit Zhongshan and had been awarded ‘Honorary Citizen of Zhongshan’. Since then, Kita Hiromi proudly called himself Zhongshanese when he attended the 2011 Shanghai World Expo and other activities in China. In 2013, Burnaby’s Mayor Derek Corrigan was also awarded ‘Honorary Citizen of Zhongshan’ for his dedicated support on the friendship between the two cities. It was said that Mayor Derek Corrigan would proudly wear the medal of ‘Honorary Citizen of Zhongshan’ when attending some major events in Burnaby.

Over the past three decades, Zhongshan has received a number of state-level VIPs, including German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, former Vice Prime Minister of Thailand Korn Dabbaransi, Vice President of Kenya William Ruto, and the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament of Republic of Vanuatu Edwin Amblus Macreveth, etc.

Friendly exchanges in various fields

Zhongshan is a city with profound cultural heritage and unique local features. ZPAFFC is endowed with abundant resources for cultural exchange. Over the years, on the one hand, ZPAFFC has introduced excellent foreign cultures to Zhongshan through art exhibition, photography exhibition, and music concert, showcasing the customs of Switzerland, Poland, Cuba, Mexico, Sri Lanka, Chile, and other countries to local people. On the other hand, ZPAFFC has promoted the unique traditional culture of Zhongshan to the world. The chrysanthemum of Xiaolan, Zhongshan was on display in South Korea; Zhongshan delegations have visited United States, Canada, Japan to promote history and ideas of Dr. Sun Yat-sen in various exhibitions, setting up sculptures, and holding lectures; stone lion, dragon boat, dragon dance, and other Zhongshan art pieces were sent as gifts to Zhongshan’s sister cities. In 2012, the 5560-meter giant dancing dragon was presented to Zhongshan’s sister city Markham in Canada. It was lifted and performed by more than 4,000 Canadian citizens and was recognized by Guinness World Record as the longest dancing dragon in the world. When the citizens lifted the dancing dragon together, the whole city was full of cheers and joy. Local people actively participated in the ceremony, being proud to raise or even touch the dragon. The spectacle of the dragon dance deeply impressed everyone.

In 2018, ZPAFFC launched a lotus culture exchange activity with the theme of ‘Sun Yat-sen Lotus’. It can be traced back in history that Sun Yat-sen sent some lotus seeds as special tokens to his good friend and supporter in Japan, and eventually those seeds have been nurtured as blossom lotus and sent back to Zhongshan. Such a touching story was recorded and collected in a book edited by China People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, which showcases its significance and meaning in promoting peace and friendship.

In 2012, the 5560-meter giant dancing dragon was presented to Zhongshan’s sister city Markham in Canada.  (Photo provided by ZPAFFC)

In recent years, Zhongshan is also very active in sports exchange with foreign countries. More than a dozen coaches and athletes from Costa Rica, Panama, Sri Lanka, Papua New Guinea, and other countries have come to Zhongshan for intensive training in table tennis, track and field, swimming and other events. After returning home, they have achieved excellent results in competitions. In March 2014, a Zhongshan delegation, as the only foreign delegation invited, attended the opening ceremony of Costa Rica National Games and was received by the president of Costa Rica in person. At the beginning of 2019, three track and field athletes from Cañas, Costa Rica received five-week professional training on discus throw, shot put and 100-meter sprint in Zhongshan Sports School. In September 2014, ZPAFFC promoted the signing of a football training agreement between Zhongshan and Argentina, making Zhongshan the first prefecture-level city in China to hire Argentinean football coaches to promote football in schools.

Over the years, ZPAFFC is trying to facilitate more visits to other countries to learn from advanced experience in various fields. For example, it has organized missions to Japan to study urban construction, etc. All these overseas learning experience might have contributed to Zhongshan’s award-winning in 1997 -- the UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour Award. In addition, the Association has contributed to the cooperation between the People's Hospital of Zhongshan and the Queen's Hospital of Hawaii, which pushed forward the development of ophthalmic medical technology in Zhongshan. ZPAFFC has also played an essential role in the investment promotion and talent introduction of Zhongshan, co-organizing Zhongshan Investment Promotion & Talent Introduction Fair many times, supporting the economic and trade activities including the products exhibition, investment, and trade promotion in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Ecuador, Brazil, South Africa, and other countries. Moreover, ZPAFFC has accelerated the economic and trade exchange between the city and the countries along the Belt and Road and supported Zhongshan enterprises to seek business cooperation in emerging markets, especially those in the countries along the Belt and Road.

Exchanges between young people

Exchanges between young people is an important part of ZPAFFC.

Since 2003, ZPAFFC has organized summer camps with Moriguchi in Japan, Honolulu in the United States, and Burnaby in Canada. Every year, a group of young people would fly to live in families of sister cities and carry out various activities with their international peers. And the city will have similar events for young people from sister cities. Through these events, young people in Zhongshan and its sister cities were able to get to know each other and establish friendship. The delegation of Zhongshan youth summer camp has not only made friends with others but also demonstrated the city’s culture to the world. The delegation attended English training courses, visited local governments, communities, families and Chinese communities, and promoted Zhongshan to foreigners and overseas Chinese. Up to now, more than 200 Zhongshan young people have participated in this foreign exchange activity.

In August 2015, Zhongshan-Burnaby Summer Camp was held to promote exchanges and cooperation between the two cities in education.  (Photo provided by ZPAFFC)

As a popular activity among students and parents, the Zhongshan youth summer camp has become a name card of the city in exchanges among young people. Hirokawa Hiromitsu, Chairman of Moriguchi Foundation of International Exchange, was deeply impressed by Zhongshan students' good manners, and positive attitude towards learning and life. Mr. Hirokawa Hiromitsu said in an interview that Zhongshan young people not only brought joy to the local families in Moriguchi, but also showcased their culture. The Cantonese almond cakes they baked were loved by the local people. A Japanese family still kept their photo with Zhongshan students, and called it family photo.

ZPAFFC also promotes exchange and cooperation between Zhongshan’s schools and foreign schools, supporting young people to participate in international communication. Up to now, about 30 schools in Zhongshan have cooperated with more than 20 schools in 10 countries, including primary school, universities and colleges, as well as vocational education. To name a few, cooperation agreements or memorandums were signed between Zhongshan Overseas Chinese Middle School and Nagasaki Shiritsu Sakurababa Junior High School, between Zhongshan Polytechnic and the University of Hawaii: Kapi'olani College, between Sun Yat-sen Memorial Middle School and Punahou School. Also, teachers from Zhongshan have visited Nagasaki for educational research and exchange many times.

In March 2016, ZPAFFC held the Zhongshan-Honolulu International Sister Cities Concert in Zhongshan Culture and Art Center. Symphony Orchestra from Punahou School and Zhongshan Philharmonic Youth Symphony Orchestra brought Zhongshan citizens a wonderful performance.  (Photo provided by ZPAFFC)

The 30th anniversary marks a new start of ZPAFFC. Looking to the future, by participating in the building of Belt and Road Initiative, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and Shenzhen as a pilot demonstration area of socialism with Chinese characteristics, ZPAFFC will continue to serve as a bridge of cultural exchange and friendly cooperation and a display window of the city's development under the guideline of President Xi’s thought on diplomacy of socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era.