SHANGHAI – Shanghai’s Sister City relations with Philippine localities open new avenues for boosting trade, following Shanghai’s inauguration of the “Shanghai International Sister Cities Hub”.

Consul General Josel F. Ignacio joined the Consuls General of countries with cities in a twinning relationship with Shanghai at the 29 September ceremonial launch of the Hub, led by CPC-Shanghai Committee Deputy Secretary ZHUGE Yujie, Foreign Affairs Office (FAO) Director General ZHANG Xiaosong and other dignitaries.

An initiative of the Shanghai Foreign Affairs Office and trading company Oriental International (Holding) Co. Ltd., the Shanghai International Sister Cities Hub is housed at Building A of the Hongqiao Import Commodity Exhibition and Trade Center (1988 Shenkun Road, Minhang District, Shanghai). The site straddles the venue of the renowned China International Import Expo (CIIE) and Hongqiao International Airport.

Through the Hub, Shanghai hopes to allow the year-round display and sale of goods from its Sister Cities, including those featured and introduced at the weeklong CIIE every November.

All in all, Shanghai and its Districts have sister-city ties with 92 cities and localities in 59 countries. Shanghai has been twinned with Metro Manila since 15 June 1983, and its District of Huangpu with Makati City since 26 September 2002. “We are privileged to have access to the Hub through Metro Manila’s ties with Shanghai. This affords us an important additional door by which Philippine goods can enter the Chinese market”, commented Consul General Ignacio. END