RDC Promotes Sister Cities Initiative with China
Published Aug 21, 2008
The Coastal Georgia Regional Development Center is thinking global. The RDC is one of the key entities encouraging formal sister city relationships between Coastal Georgia communities and counterparts in China to promote cultural, educational and economic ties – with an emphasis on the economic.
In April 2008, Savannah Mayor Otis Johnson signed a letter of intent to form a sister city relationship with Jiujiang, a city of 5 million in China’s Jiangxi province. (The relationship still requires formal approval from the Chinese provincial government and Sister Cities International.)
Savannah is home to a major port operation, while Jiujiang is developing a massive inland port on the Yangtze River.
The Coastal Georgia RDC has been spearheading the China initiative and helped coordinate regional meetings to promote the idea and develop strategies. Officials hope to form similar ties in China for Hinesville in Liberty County and Brunswick in Glynn County.
Imports from China through the Port of Savannah increased nearly 140 percent over the last five years and the region’s logistics infrastructure is of keen interest to the Chinese.
The initiative comes at a time of heightened activity between Georgia and China. Business prospects from China attended the state’s annual Red Carpet Tour and the Georgia Department of Economic Development opened a Beijing office in April 2008.
Story by Bill McMeekin
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