LOCAL government leaders of Ballarat\u2019s Chinese friendship city, Yangzhou, visited last Thursday.<\/p>\n
Yangzhou Municipal Government Vice-Mayor, Yu Ting was accompanied by council representatives from the areas of government, economy, tourism and culture, as they toured the Ballarat Botanical Gardens, Sovereign Hill, the Gold Museum and the Town Hall.<\/p>\n
Mr Ting was pleased to be in Ballarat, having welcomed a Victorian delegation including City of Ballarat Deputy Mayor, Cr Jim Rinaldi, Director of Innovation and Organisational Improvement, Cameron Cahill, and Lord Mayor of Melbourne, Sally Capp to their city last May.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe visit from the Victorian state and council was a friendship celebration. We\u2019re looking forward to having further discussions about our relationship, and what we can do between our two cities,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBeing introduced to the history of Ballarat gives us an opportunity to introduce it to our Yangzhou city. Yangzhou has recently become a city of high technology, an innovative city, so we can introduce further cooperative work in that area.\u201d<\/p>\n
Yangzhou was the original home of two of China\u2019s national leaders, it has a 2500-year-old history, and is known as one of the country\u2019s major heritage cities. Mr Ting was excited to explore the Botanical Gardens ahead of the 2021 Yangzhou World Horticulture Expo.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe strongly believe we can learn lots from Ballarat in this area,\u201d Mr Ting said.<\/p>\n
City of Ballarat Mayor Cr Samantha McIntosh visited the friendship city in 2013. She said council has learnt so much from the way Yangzhou operates and the ongoing relationship is valuable.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis visit is an opportunity to further strengthen cooperation between our two cities,\u201d she said. \u201cIt is a wonderful honour to be able to welcome the delegates. The friendship agreement we have with Yangzhou is very important to us.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have learnt so much looking at their new industrial development area, and that has helped us plan and deliver a very successful Ballarat West Employment Zone.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Mayor was pleased to return the warm hospitality Yangzhou\u2019s municipality had shown council representatives two months ago.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe hope to continue some of the productive discussions already held with Cr Rinaldi and Mr Cahill around mutual cultural and tourism benefits for both cities,\u201d Cr McIntosh said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe really do want to say thank you and extend a further invitation for them to come back any time.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
LOCAL government leaders of Ballarat\u2019s Chinese friendship city, Yangzhou, visited last Thursday. Yangzhou Municipal Government Vice-Mayor, Yu Ting was accompanied by council representatives from the areas of government, economy, tourism and culture, as they toured the Ballarat Botanical Gardens, Sovereign Hill, the Gold Museum and the Town Hall. Mr Ting was pleased to be in […]<\/p>\n