A delegation from Sacramento, the United States, visited Jinan, the capital of Shandong province, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of sister city relations from May 26 to 27.

The 18-member delegation was led by Sacramento Mayor Kevin McCarty. Liu Qiang, Party secretary of Jinan, met with McCarty on May 26 and they visited a photo exhibition commemorating the anniversary.

Jinan has long attached great importance to its friendly relations with Sacramento, regarding it as an important partner in promoting the international development of the city, said Liu. He expressed his hope to deepen cooperation in in areas such as green development, urban governance, and modern agriculture.

McCarty praised Jinan’s development in recent years and emphasized that Sacramento deeply values its long-standing friendship with Jinan. He said he looked forward to expanding mutual cooperation in education, culture, and urban services.

During the visit, the delegation also toured Shandong University to discuss strengthening ties with Sacramento universities through student exchanges, academic collaboration, and joint programs. They also visited Shandong Heavy Industry Group, where they learned about Jinan's innovative strength and industrial advantages in the manufacturing sector.

Jinan and Sacramento established their sister city relationship in1985 and have since built strong partnerships in education, youth exchanges, and technology. During the visit, the two cities also signed a Memorandum of Understanding to further enhance cooperation in trade, education, and culture.

A group of high school students from the city of Sacramento visits Shandong Experimental High School in Jinan, Shandong province for cultural exchange in March, 2024. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]