Newsom, Feinstein lead China delegation celebrating 25th anniversary of San Francisco-Shanghai sister city relationship

From the Mayor's Office of Communications

November 17, 2005

In a historic mission to China in celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the San Francisco-Shanghai Sister city Relationship, U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein and Mayor Gavin Newsom will accompany over 50 delegates to Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong on November 25th-December 4th.

The trip marks Mayor Newsom's first trip to Asia and a return for Senator Feinstein who established the sister city relationship in 1980. The mission is organized by the San Francisco-Shanghai Sister City Committee, with James Fang, as its chairman.

The delegation is made up of members and friends of the San Francisco-Shanghai Sister City Committee, including educators, government officials, community leaders, and corporate executives from Bridge Pharmaceuticals, Citigroup, Lexis Nexus, Oracle and General Motors who want to build upon the dialogue established between the sister cities of San Francisco and Shanghai. VIP participants include Former Mayor Frank Jordan and Wendy Paskin-Jordan, Dr. Glenn Rice, CEO and President, Bridge Pharmaceuticals, Richard Stanley, CEO, China, Citigroup, Thomas S. Wu, Chairman and CEO, United Commercial Bank among others.

As former Mayor of San Francisco in 1980, U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein established Shanghai as this nation's first sister city anywhere in the world. During Feinstein's tenure as Mayor of San Francisco, Feinstein worked with former Mayors of Shanghai including former President of China Jiang Zemin, former Premier of China Zhu Rongji, and President of the Association for Relations Across Taiwan Straits Wang Daohan.

Over the last 25 years, the San Francisco-Shanghai Sister City Committee has continued Feinstein's and Wang's vision with over 150 programs of mutual exchanges completed in the areas of business, sports, library studies, medical sciences, education and civil infrastructure, making it the oldest and most active sister city relationship in the world. In 1992, the committee
was awarded the Rotary International Awards for "Most Outstanding Friendship Program."

Former San Francisco Mayors Frank Jordan and Willie L. Brown, Jr. have also led delegations to Shanghai in 1995 and 1997. This friendship continues today under the leadership of Mayor Gavin Newsom, Mayor Han Zheng and James Fang, Chairman, San Francisco-Shanghai Sister
City Committee.

Planned highlights from the mission include;

- Mayor Gavin Newsom speaks to Shanghai business leaders about business opportunities in San Francisco.

- San Francisco-Shanghai Sister City Committee 25th Anniversary Gala Dinner at theShanghai Convention Center.

- Bridge Pharmaceuticals' Beijing Office Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony with Mayor Gavin Newsom

- Signing Ceremony of Exchange between University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and Beijing University

- A Memorandum of Understanding and Shanghai Healing Garden signing ceremony with Shanghai Mayor Han Zheng to announce plans to construct a Shanghai Healing Garden at UCSF's Osher Center.

About the San Francisco-Shanghai Sister City Committee

The San Francisco-Shanghai Sister City Committee is a non-profit organization founded in 1980 by former San Francisco Mayor and current U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein and former Shanghai Mayor Wan Dao Han. Its mission is to promote goodwill and cross-cultural understanding.

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF FRIENDSHIP HIGHLIGHTS
1980-2005

1979
Former Mayor of San Francisco Dianne Feinstein formed the San Francisco-Shanghai Sister City Committee.

1980
In 1980, former Mayor of San Francisco Dianne Feinstein visits Shanghai for the first time and establishes the Sister City Relationship with former and current President of Association for Relations Across Taiwan Straits Mayor Wang Daohan.

1984
Medical exchange programs begin
Establishment of the American Foundation of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Business Management Program.

1985
First class of the Business Management Program is formed.

1987
Shanghai Judges Delegation is formed.

1988
Agricultural Delegation is formed.

1990
Shanghai Hotel Delegation is formed.

1991
Former Mayor of Shanghai and former Premier of China Zhu Rongji visits San Francisco.

1992
Former Mayor of Shanghai and the Executive Vice Premier of China Huang Ju visits San Francisco.

San Francisco-Shanghai Sister City Committee is awarded the Rotary International Awards for "Most Outstanding Friendship Program."

1994
Shanghai Week in San Francisco.

1995
Former Mayor Frank Jordan's visit to Shanghai.

1996
Sports Exchanges begin
Former Mayor and former President of China Jiang Zemin visits San Francisco and dedicates the Maletesta Library at the University of San Francisco's Center for the Pacific Rim.

1997
Former Mayor Willie L. Brown, Jr. visits Shanghai.

1998
San Francisco Week in Shanghai.
Agricultural Exchanges continues.

2002
Former Mayor and former President of China Jiang Zemin.

2003
Funding to Ricci Institute for the Shanghai Library Catalogue project.

2004
Most recent class (7th) of the Business Management Program is formed

2005
Mayor Han Zheng visits San Francisco.

Senator Dianne Feinstein, Mayor Gavin Newsom, and over 50 delegates embark on San Francisco Trade and Friendship Mission to Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong organized by James Fang, Chairman and the San Francisco-Shanghai Sister City Committee.

New projects between San Francisco and Shanghai include:

- A Shanghai Healing Garden at University of California San Francisco's Osher Center.

- Middle School Exchanges.

- Business Management Program executive fellows are sent to Shanghai.

- Policy and Public Security Exchanges.

- San Francisco Symphony, led by Music Director Michael Tilson Thomas, will embark on a historic two-week tour in China.

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