Delegation from Japanese sister city Sasebo visits Xiamen

Government officials of Xiamen meet delegation from Japanese sister city Sasebo. [Photo/WeChat account: XIAMENFAO]

Daisuke Miyajima, the newly appointed mayor of Sasebo, Japan, led a delegation of 18 representatives to visit Xiamen in East China's Fujian province from Oct 31 to Nov 2.

The trip was meant to celebrate the 40th anniversary of sister-city relations between the two cities as well as promote mutual exchanges and cooperation in various areas.

Huang Wenhui, mayor of Xiamen, extended a warm welcome to the delegation and introduced the economic and social development of the city.

This year also marks the 45th anniversary of the Sino-Japanese Treaty of Peace and Friendship.

The delegation's visit to Xiamen will further promote mutual exchange and understanding among residents of the two cities, drive the continuous deepening of mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields, and contribute to the construction of a Sino-Japanese relationship.

Miyajima expressed his gratitude for the warm reception in Xiamen. He said he first visited Xiamen 30 years ago for the 10th anniversary of the sister-city relations of the two cities and he was deeply impressed by the immense changes and robust vitality in Xiamen's social and economic development. 

Since the establishment of sister-city relations, the governments and the people of the two cities have advanced exchanges and cooperation in sectors like economy, tourism, culture, and education, all of which have born fruitful results.

During their visit to Xiamen, the delegation visited the Xiamen Foreign Language School and Xiamen University of Technology, fostering inter-school exchanges and promoting cooperation in the education sector. 

They also visited the Xiamen Academy of Arts and Design at Fuzhou University to discuss potential exchanges in the field of lacquer painting art. Additionally, they visited Gulangyu Island and had meetings with representatives from the Xiamen International Cruise Homeport and C&D International Travel Service, during which they negotiated potential tourism exchanges and collaborations.