Mayor's Forum to promote Sino-New Zealand co-ops
The China-New Zealand Mayor's Forum, themed "Innovation and Development", will kick off on Sept 7 in Xiamen, Fujian province.
The event is sponsored by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the Local Government New Zealand, an association of local governments in the country. A total of 25 mayors, with 13 from China and 12 from New Zealand, will attend the forum to discuss cooperation on tourism, education and primary industries between the two countries.
The forum aims at developing a close relationship between China and New Zealand and also bringing new development opportunities to the city of Xiamen.
List of participating cities and mayors
China:
Pei Jinjia, Xiamen, Fujian province
Lu Ziyue, Ningbo, Zhejiang province
Zhang Xinqi, Qingdao, Shandong province
Wan Yong, Wuhan, Hubei province
Chen Jianhua, Guangzhou, Guangdong province
Xu Qin, Shenzhen, Guangdong province
Ma Xuming, Yichang, Hubei province
Zhang Zejun, Lijiang, Yunnan province
Li Mingyuan, Weinan, Shanxi province
Yuan Zhanting, Lanzhou, Gansu province
Huang Zeyuan, Zhangye, Gansu province
JiNingfeng, Guiyang, Guizhou province
Lu Baoyun, Gongqingcheng, Jiangxi Province
New Zealand:
Lawrence Yule, Hastings
Celia Wade-Brown, Wellington
Len Brown, Auckland
LianneDalziel, Christchurch
Dave Cull, Dunedin
Stuart Crosby, Tauranga
Grant Smith, Palmerston North
Damon Odey, Timaru
Meng Foon, Gisborne
Annette Main, Wanganui
David Trewavas, Taupo
Jan Barnes, Matamata
Why Xiamen
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Xiamen is one of the most economically competitive cities in China and was one of the first Special Economic Zones on the Chinese mainland. As a vice-provincial city independently listed on the State development plan, it has provincial-level authority in economic administration and local legislative power. In 2010, the Xiamen SEZ was expanded to cover the entire municipality. Today, Xiamen is a modern and international port city.