Qingdao Olympic Sailing Center. [Photo/IC]

The Qingdao-Long Beach Olympic Seminar was held in Qingdao, a coastal city in Shandong province, on July 29, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the two cities' sister-city relationship.

The event brought together officials and experts from both sides to share experiences in Olympic sailing event organization, making the most of the Olympic legacy, and future cooperation opportunities.

Qingdao Vice-Mayor Zhao Shengcun attended and said in his speech that the two cities share a common identity as coastal Olympic hosts, both rich in maritime culture and sports traditions.

He recalled how Long Beach, host of the 1984 Olympic sailing events, provided volunteer training support for Qingdao's 2008 Olympic preparations.

Rex Richardson, mayor of Long Beach, the United States, praised Qingdao's achievements in leveraging its Olympic legacy. He said that Long Beach looks forward to deepening exchanges with Qingdao, particularly when it comes to preparations for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games. 

Regarding the 2028 Olympic Games, both sides explored potential cooperation at the conference in areas such as event organization, volunteer training, and cultural exchange.

They expressed a shared commitment to jointly promote the Olympic spirit and advance the development of sailing.

Leading the Long Beach delegation, Richardson is on a three-day visit to Qingdao from July 29 to 31. The delegation also toured the Qingdao Olympic Sailing Center and the Olympic Sailing Museum, gaining firsthand insights into the city's Olympic legacy.