Gyeonggi Province Forms Sisterhood with Jiangsu Province, China's 2nd Largest Economy... Kim Dong-yeon: "An Opportunity for Closer Ties Between the Two Countries"

Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon (right) is taking a commemorative photo after signing a sisterhood agreement with Xin Changxing, Party Secretary of Jiangsu Province, China, at Dodamso in Suwon on the 19th.

Gyeonggi Province signed a sisterhood agreement with Jiangsu Province (江蘇省) on the 19th, which is the second largest economy in China and the largest region for Korean companies' investment in China. With this, Gyeonggi Province has achieved the milestone of establishing sisterhood ties with Jiangsu Province, Shandong Province (3rd largest), as well as Guangdong Province, the largest economy in China.

On the day, Gyeonggi Governor Kim Dong-yeon met with Xin Changxing, Party Secretary of Jiangsu Province, at Dodamso in Paldal-gu, Suwon (the former governor's official residence), expressing, "I am very pleased to elevate the friendly relationship between Jiangsu Province and Gyeonggi Province to a sisterhood relationship," and added, "I hope that Secretary Xin's visit will serve as an opportunity to activate cooperation in all fields including economy, industry, investment, human exchange, culture, and sports between the two regions."

He continued, "Jiangsu Province and South Korea have a deep historical relationship dating back to the Silla period, and even President Xi Jinping has mentioned the relationship between Master Choi Chi-won and Jiangsu Province several times," adding, "I hope that beyond Jiangsu Province and Gyeonggi Province, South Korea and China will build a closer and stronger cooperative relationship."

In response, Party Secretary Xin Changxing said, "Even during the widespread COVID-19 pandemic, Jiangsu Province and Gyeonggi Province continuously maintained corporate investment and exchanges of university students and public officials," and added, "The foundation for exchange and cooperation between the two regions is strong, and the potential for friendship is very great going forward."

He then proposed three points: ▲ Deepening offline exchange and cooperation between Gyeonggi Province and Jiangsu Province, as well as between cities and counties ▲ Strengthening industrial cooperation in fields such as semiconductors, new energy, and automobile parts to realize mutual benefits ▲ Actively promoting friendly exchanges in tourism, culture, education, especially in youth sectors.

On the day, the two exchanged well-wishes by quoting poetry and proverbs, showing their interest and respect for the history and culture of both countries.

Party Secretary Xin Changxing expressed interest in Gyeonggi Province by quoting a poem by Kim Taek-young, an independence activist from Joseon. Kim Taek-young, originally from Gyeonggi Province, was a scholar in the late Joseon period who fled to China in 1905, settled in Nantong City, Jiangsu Province, and engaged in the independence movement. A memorial hall honoring him opened in 2021 in Nantong City, Jiangsu Province.

Governor Kim Dong-yeon responded with a Chinese proverb and a poem by Li Bai.

Gyeonggi Province and Jiangsu Province have continuously maintained exchanges and cooperation in various fields such as dispatching personnel to the Gyeonggi Environmental Industrial Complex in Jiangsu Province, inviting medical personnel from Jiangsu Province to Gyeonggi for training, agricultural science and technology exchanges, and mutual dispatch of public official training groups. Based on the achievements and mutual trust from past cooperation, both sides reached a consensus to elevate their friendly relationship to a sisterhood relationship and have been preparing for the sisterhood agreement since last year.

Earlier, Governor Kim Dong-yeon has been building meaningful cooperative relations with not only the Chinese central government but also local governments, starting with a meeting with He Lifeng (何立峰), Vice Premier in charge of the economy of the State Council of China during his visit to China in November last year, signing a deep cooperation agreement with Hao Feng, Party Secretary of Liaoning Province?the first local party secretary to visit Korea after COVID-19?in April, and engaging in 'chimaek diplomacy' (chicken and beer diplomacy).

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.