San Antonio signs Friendship City Agreements with two Chinese cities

The San Antonio delegation, led by Mayor Julián Castro and council members Elisa Chan, Mary Alice Cisneros, Ray Lopez and John Clamp, traveled to Suzhou and Wuxi, two of China's most prosperous cities to initiate Friendship City Agreements as a vehicle to link cultural, educational, research and commercial sectors.

Mayor Castro signed the agreements with Yan Li, Mayor of Suzhou, and Mao Xioping, Mayor of Wuxi, on Thursday. "Economically, culturally and from a quality of life perspective, both cities offer great opportunities for San Antonio and those entrepreneurs who wish to align themselves with these destination cities," Mayor Castro said.

"Those of us who have been in China before can attest to the incredible pace of progress here," said Raul Rodriguez Barocio, Benson Chair in Finance at the University of the Incarnate Word. "It is crucial for the San Antonio business, academic and governmental communities to further connect to this world of opportunity."

San Antonio business leaders will meet with Sun Tech, the world's premier solar panel manufacturer headquartered in Wuxi, China, and GE Medical Systems among others.

"This is a great fit for San Antonio," said former mayor and HUD Secretary Henry Cisneros, who launched San Antonio's successful relationship with Japan. Councilman Clamp, a member of the City's Economic and Community Development Committee, was pleased to begin relationships with both cities. Richard Perez, Greater Chamber Of Commerce CEO and President, acknowledged that "China's emergence as a world economic power is based on the building blocks which are its cities. Wuxi and Suzhou are key to penetrating Chinese markets."  Councilwoman Chan agreed, saying this format allows the cities of San Antonio, Suzhou and Wuxi to have multidimensional interactions involving cultural interaction, education, research and trade.

The delegation is set to end the week-long trip today and will be traveling back to San Antonio.