Los Angeles marks 4-decad-old sister-city relationship with Guangzhou

Photo taken on Feb. 6, 2019 shows a view of downtown Los Angeles after rain, the United States. (Xinhua/Qian Weizhong)

On Dec. 8, 1981, then mayors of Guangzhou and Los Angeles Liang Lingguang and Tom Bradley signed the sister-city agreement at the Los Angeles City Hall, setting up one of the first sister-city relationships between major cities of China and the United States not long after the two countries established diplomatic ties.

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- "As sister cities, the bonds between Guangzhou and Los Angeles are strong and lasting and I do hope that we can accomplish working together in the decades ahead," Eric Garcetti said via video at a reception held on Wednesday.

At the night celebrating the 40th anniversary of the two cities' special relationship, the mayor of the second largest city of the United States noted that during the past four decades, the two cities have exchanged goods, ideas and best practices with each other.

Last year, they extended mutual support during the challenging times posed by COVID-19, Garcetti said, adding that "we strengthen one another."

Garcetti's remarks were echoed by Chinese Ambassador to the United States Qin Gang, who sent a congratulatory message to the event.

Qin, in the message, expressed his hope that the two cities will especially explore better economic cooperation in the post-epidemic era, jointly make constructive efforts in combating climate change, and strengthening people-to-people exchanges.

On Dec. 8, 1981, then mayors of Guangzhou and Los Angeles Liang Lingguang and Tom Bradley signed the sister-city agreement at the Los Angeles City Hall, setting up one of the first sister-city relationships between major cities of China and the United States not long after the two countries established diplomatic ties.

Photo taken on Oct. 3, 2020 shows the night view of Canton Tower in Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province. (Xinhua/Liu Dawei)

Zhang Ping, Chinese consul general in Los Angeles, recalled the episode in his speech at Millennium Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles, saying the blessed special relationship had yielded fruitful results in cooperation between the two cities in a wide array of fields such as trade, investment, culture and education.

Referring to the expansion of the sister-city relationship to the Los Angeles-Guangzhou-Auckland Tripartite Economic Alliance, which was built in 2014, Garcetti called it a new step to "create opportunities for trades and investments and power our markets."

Nina Hachigian, deputy mayor of International Affairs for Los Angeles, said the tripartite economic alliance has brought "valuable insights."

"The partnership is an inspiration and a model for other global cities," she said in a speech at Wednesday's event.

Including Guangzhou and Los Angeles, there are around 280 pairs of sister provinces/states and sister cities established between China and the United States, Consul General Zhang noted.

"At this critical juncture when China and the U.S. are trying to find the right way to get along with each other in the new era, it is important that we value the role of the sister-city relationships and continue our efforts to ensure our cities and our people remain engaged, and friendship and goodwill are upheld," Zhang added.

"The Chinese side is committed to strengthening subnational exchanges and cooperation with the U.S. side," Ambassador Qin said in his message.