A 21-member delegation led by Wellington mayor Celia Wade-Brown visited Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian province from July 21 to 23 to strengthen both cities’ sister ties.
Xiamen mayor Pei Jinjia expressed his appreciation to Wade-Brown for her contribution to improving the two cities’ relations.
Over the first half of this year, the total value of import and export between Xiamen and Wellington increased by 23.45 percent more than over the same period last year, with more exchanges in trade, culture, education and medical treatment, said Pei.
Wade-Brown said she was impressed by the hospitality she’d received in Xiamen as well as the scenic landscapes of the city.
During the trip, the two sides signed a Memorandum of Cooperation on education and reached an agreement on culture and art exchanges.
Last year, the first China-New Zealand Mayoral Forum, themed "Innovation and Development", was held in Xiamen. The second will be convened in Wellington next year, coinciding with the 30th anniversary of Xiamen-Wellington sister-city ties.
Xiamen mayorPei Jinjia (R), mayor of Xiamen, meets withWellington mMayorMrs. Celia Wade-Brown(L) on July 23, during herfifth visit to Xiamen.[Photo/ xmfo.gov.cn]
China has decided to extend its visa waiver policy to ordinary passport holders from Canada and the United Kingdom starting from Feb 17.
Forty-one new port-of-entry duty-free shops have been established nationwide, with Xiamen Xiang'an International Airport, Xiamen Wutong Passenger Wharf, and Xiamen International Cruise Center included on the list.
