The city government here and Tai’an of the People’s Republic of China signed a sister city agreement for trade and investment, the Davao City Investment Promotion Center (DCIPC) announced Wednesday.

On top of that, the DCIPC said other areas of cooperation between the two parties include culture and tourism, environmental protection, and research and development.

Tai’an is the third Chinese sister city of Davao, after Nanning and Jinjiang.

Tai’an boasts of a diverse and dynamic economy, with thriving industries in agriculture, manufacturing, and tourism.

During the signing ceremony on Aug. 4, Mayor Sebastian Duterte said the pact symbolized a new and exciting chapter in the international cooperation and understanding between the Republic of the Philippines and the People’s Republic of China.

“By forging strong ties with Tai’an, we open doors to potential trade and investment opportunities, stimulating our local economy, and promoting peace and understanding in an increasingly interconnected world. The city government of Davao looks forward to meaningful collaborations with Tai’an from here on out,” he said.

Duterte noted that a successful sister city partnership is not only dependent on official engagements but also on the involvement of its citizens.

“The people-to-people connection is the heartbeat of this initiative. As residents of our respective cities, let us embrace our sister city with open arms, welcoming visitors and participants into our homes and hearts,” he said.

Secretary of CPC Tai’an Municipal Committee Yang Hongtao thanked the city government for welcoming the Tai’an delegation and expressed his optimism about the growing relationship between Tai’an and Davao.

“I sincerely hope we can seize this opportunity to strengthen the cooperation between Tai’an and Davao in broader fields and at deeper levels. Let’s go hand in hand to carry out cooperation in economy and trade, science and technology, education, tourism, culture, and other fields, and achieve win-win cooperation and common prosperity”, Yang said.

The sisterhood pact came after the Tai’an Municipal People’s Government through Kisan Lu Lands Inc. sent a letter of intent to the Davao City government signifying its desire to establish a sister city agreement in December 2021.

The following year, the Davao City International Relations Board endorsed its resolution to sign the agreement to the Davao City Council, which also approved the ordinance granting legislative authority to the city mayor in the same year. (PNA)