Prince George mayor Shari Green is once again heading overseas to foster a relationship with her Chinese counterparts in Jiangmen.
City manager Beth James and Initiatives Prince George CEO Heather Oland will travel with the mayor to China in November to "continue to explore opportunities for co-operation, particularly in the areas of local government administration, economic development, education and culture," Green said in a report to council, which meets Monday night.
"Advancement of the city's relationship with Jiangmen requires the ongoing exchange of information and reciprocal visits between our two cities," Green wrote.
Last November, a Prince George delegation consisting of the mayor, acting city manager Kathleen Soltis, councillors Dave Wilbur and Lyn Hall and Oland travelled to Jiangmen, which is in China's Guangdong province.
The group returned with a signed memorandum of understanding "committing to the development of a government-to-government framework to support local relationships that promote trade, cultural exchange, tourism" and links between the two cities' educational institutions.
That trip cost just over $24,000, with IPG paying for Oland's expenses and translation costs. City expenses were mainly covered by a $10,000 contribution from then-Jobs Minister Pat Bell who had cancelled his own Chinese trade mission as well as a provincial grant designated to establish international twinning relationships.
According to Green, there is still more than $10,000 in that twinning account, which she said she expects to be sufficient for herself and James.
"There are other operating funds available should we require to use them beyond the twinning funds," she said.
Jiangmen's mayor Pang Guomei has not yet come to Prince George but a medical delegation from her city will be in Prince George later this month to meet with their Canadian counterparts.
In May, representatives from Jiangmen's Wuyi University visited the city to sign a memorandum of understanding with UNBC.
While overseas, Green will gift to Jiangmen a Barkerville satellite exhibit which will be permanently housed at Wuyi University.
