Seychelles-China - Victoria, Qingdao become sister cities |13 May 2015

Victoria and the City of Qingdao of the People’s Republic of China have signed a memorandum of understanding to establish sister city relationship.
The Mayor of Victoria, Jacqueline Moustache-Belle, and the party secretary of the CPC Qingdao Committee, Li Qun, signed the documents yesterday morning at the Office of the Mayor of Victoria at Oceangate House.

The twinning agreement seeks to promote mutually beneficial cooperation in the fields of economy, science and technology, culture, education, sports, health, sustainable development, environmental protection, urban development, tourism, and trade, particularly in key areas such as blue economy and port.

Speaking after the signing, Mrs Moustache-Belle said: “We already have an excellent relationship with China and even though we are a small island state, China has always given us the respect we deserve. We have a lot in common and I am sure this is the beginning of a very fruitful relationship.”

Mr Li Qun noted that it is very important for China to develop relationships with different cities.
“We need to bring our people closer and our local governments also. Today we are able to forge a relationship because of our similarities. We are both port cities. Last year Qingdao received 68 million tourists and if we can share 1% of this, it would enrich Seychelles. We can also share our experiences in managing ports, in deep sea diving and cultural exchange,” he said.

Qingdao is a major coastal city in east China and an economic centre. It is cited as China’s ‘Capital of Sailing’ and Asia’s best nautical city. It hosted the sailing events of the 29th Olympic Games and the 13th Paralympic Games in 2008. Qingdao is not only an excellent tourist city in China, but it is also reputed as a famous historic city, a national model of civilisation, a national hygienic city, a national garden city, a national model city of environment protection and forestation, a top-10 livable city, a top tourist destination of China as well as a top-100 summer resort and tourist city in the world.

The city is one of the China’s most economically dynamic cities, a top-10 innovative city in China, the country’s best commercial city, a city with award for entrepreneur satisfaction, and a top-10 IT-based city in China.

Qingdao is also an important international trade port and a marine transportation hub on the western shores of the Pacific Ocean. It is also one of the top-five foreign trade ports in China. Qingdao Port is the seventh largest port in the world and the third largest foreign trade port in China.

The city of Qingdao has established sister-city relationships with 63 foreign countries.
After the signing of the MoU, the two parties exchanged gifts.

Meanwhile, the Qingdao delegation has also donated 4,000 T-shirts and 4,000 caps to the SEYx30 programme and it was the programme’s chairman Alain Volcère, who is also the principal secretary for youth, who accepted the gifts from Mr Li.

The SEYx30 programme is an initiative proposed by the department of youth, the Seychelles National Youth Council, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health and the Health Care Agency, the National Sports Council and the department of community development and sports.