We’re about to get a new sister city. Last night, councillors voted to formalise a partnership between the City of Melbourne and Chengdu the capital of Sichuan province in China. The framework for this was laid out in 2016, when Victoria and Sichuan established a broader Sister State Relationship. Over the years, our two cities have had a productive relationship, with collaboration in economic development and investment, sustainable development, culture, tourism, sport, technology, innovation and education. A formal agreement is expected to be signed in October, when a Chengdu delegation visits Melbourne. Once it is signed, it will establish a four-year partnership between our two cities.
Melbourne and Chengdu sister city partnership
An elevation to sister city status would provide a higher-level framework for government engagement, institutional collaboration and long-term economic cooperation. It will strengthen ties between our two cities, and lead to more opportunities.
With a population of 21.5 million people, Chengdu is the fourth-largest city in China. Known for its high quality of living standards, Chengdu has been named as ‘China’s Happiest City’ for 17 consecutive years. It’s also known as the home of giant pandas, with a massive research base for panda breeding and conservation. It was the first Asian city to be named as a UNESCO City of Gastronomy, and is famous for its hot pot, spicy Sichuan cuisine and teahouses.
If you’d like, you can get a taste of Chengdu right here in Melbourne, at Zhu Guang Yu Hot Pot. This popular brand expanded to Melbourne after business discussions from a trip to Chengdu. You can find it on Queen Street, just moments away from Queen Victoria Market.
If you’re feeling inspired, direct flights are also available between our two cities via Sichuan Airlines.
Our other sister cities are:
- Tianjin, China
- Osaka, Japan
- Thessaloniki, Greece
- Boston, USA
- Milan, Italy
You can read the council meeting notes here, or learn more here.
