50th anniversary of Tianjin-Kobe sister city relationship celebrated

This photo taken on April 27, 2023 shows the night view of the Tientsin Eye Ferris wheel in north China's Tianjin. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue)

TIANJIN, June 24 (Xinhua) -- A ceremony was held in north China's Tianjin Municipality on Saturday in celebration of the 50th anniversary of its sister city relationship with Kobe, Japan.

On June 24, 1973, Tianjin and Kobe signed a sister city agreement, which was the first of this kind in China. The two cities have maintained frequent exchanges and cooperation in various areas such as port logistics, medical and health care, urban greening, culture and sports.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, both cities donated anti-pandemic supplies to each other.

As part of the celebration, a photo exhibition featuring the exchanges and friendship between Tianjin and Kobe over the decades drew many visitors.

Zhang Gong, mayor of Tianjin, said in a congratulatory letter that the two cities formed a wide-ranging and high-level partnership, and fruitful exchanges and cooperation have been made.

Mayor of Kobe Kizo Hisamoto also sent a congratulatory letter, expressing expectations for deeper exchanges in various fields.