3 November 2019
By Bryan Smyth
bryan@TheCork.ie
The Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr. John Sheehan is leading a delegation from Cork city to visit Shanghai (Cork’s Sister City) at the 2019 China International Import Exposition (CIIE) Sister Cities Cooperation Forum in Shanghai today.
The delegation includes representatives from Cork City Council, Cork Chamber and The Tyndall National Institute.
The Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr John Sheehan said: “It is a great pleasure to represent our city at the ‘2019 China International Import Exposition (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.”
On Monday, the delegation will work through a packed itinerary, beginning with the Irish Chinese Science and Technology Association business conference.
On 5 November, the Lord Mayor and the Cork city delegation will attend the opening ceremony at the CIIE Sister Cities Cooperation Forum. At the forum, the delegation will meet with Shanghai’s Sister Cities and will participate in the CIIE conference that centres on opportunities for greater cooperation. Lord Mayor Cllr John Sheehan will then deliver a speech focusing on Cork city’s relationship with Shanghai.
As part of the drive to raise Cork city’s profile in China, the Lord Mayor and the Chief Executive of Cork City Council will meet with Acting Chief Executive of the Bank of China, followed by a meeting between Mayor of Shanghai Mr Ying Yong and the Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr. John Sheehan.
The delegations’ visit to China will culminate with a Memorandum of Understanding meeting with the Shanghai Health Authority.
Facts & Figures
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.
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.
Cork City Council supports UCC’s Confucius Institute to offer student and teacher student exchanges between Cork and Chinese primary and second level schools to further cross cultural and social understanding amongst young people. Through the Cork City LEO, it also supports SMEs who want to develop Chinese markets.
