A memo of understanding to enhance friendly exchange and cooperation with Costa Rica's Esparza was signed on Nov 13.

A delegation of envoys from Zhuhai's sister cities and the Netherlands visited Zhuhai that day to seek further cooperation in innovation, culture, education, tourism, and more.

Zhuhai Party Secretary Guo Yonghang told delegates that the city is becoming a gateway hub of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, core city on the west bank of the Pearl River Estuary, and model of high-quality development for the Coastal Economic Belt. 

Seaview of La Spezia [Photo courtesy chinadaily.com.cn]

Zhuhai is willing to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation with its sister and friendly cities in investment, trade, sci-tech innovation, culture, tourism, education, medical treatment, ecology, and environmental protection, stated Guo.

Pierluigi Peracchini, mayor of La Spezia, and Lourdes MO Araya Morera, deputy mayor of Esparza, spoke highly of Zhuhai's prominent achievements. Robert Strijk, vice governor of the Netherlands' Utrecht, also met Guo during the activity.

To date, Zhuhai has established friendly exchange relations with 36 foreign cities since it tied the knot with Canada's Surrey in August 1987.

Esparza is the capital of the canton that is also called Esparza in the province of Puntarenas in Costa Rica. It is the home of Caldera, the country's most important harbor on the Pacific Ocean.