Poznań-Shenzhen - nearly 30 years of cooperation
When the coronavirus was spreading in China in early 2020, representatives of Shenzhen asked Poznań for a list of companies selling personal protective equipment, mainly for medical personnel. Relevant information was collected, translated and then sent post haste. The Mayor of Poznań, Jacek Jaśkowiak, also sent words of encouragement to the inhabitants of the partner city.
When the coronavirus reached the capital of Greater Poland, Shenzen offered immediate support. Back in March, doctors from the local Third People's Hospital of Shenzhen, a hospital that achieves one of the best results in the treatment of coronavirus infections, held a videoconference with representatives of the J. Struś hospital, sharing their knowledge with doctors from Poznań.
As part of mutual support, Shenzhen also donated 20,000 masks
to Poznań. Together with protective measures, the capital of Wielkopolska also received a letter from the mayor of the partner city.
Both cities exchanged good practices in many areas in recent years. In 2019, representatives of the Poznań City Hall participated in the Smart City International Forum in Shenzhen, attended by people from foreign delegations, as well as leaders of global industry and specialists from partner cities. In 2018, Poznań hosted a meeting with the Shenzhen delegation on the protection of monuments - during this visit, guests from China learned about the achievements of Poznań in the field of tasks related to the protection of monuments and cultural heritage.
Cooperation also includes education. In 2014-2015, thanks to the partnership between the cities, students from Poznań could study in this multi-million Chinese metropolis for a year. This is due to two editions of the Shenzhen Universiade International Scholarship Foundation scholarships.
Trade and the economy are another pillars of the partnership. In 2017, a delegation from the Investors' Bureau took part in the China Hi-Tech Fair. It is the largest modern technology fair in China, attended by companies, experts and representatives of cities from around the world. It was a great opportunity to present Poznań as a dynamic centre of business, innovation and creativity. Two years earlier, a delegation from the City took part in meetings with production companies in Shenzhen, where the companies' offer was presented, with the possibility of their expansion in Poland and Poznań discussed, e.g. by establishing research and development centres.
Shenzhen is a coastal city in the southern part of Guangdong province, near Hong Kong. It received city rights in 1979, and a year later the first Chinese Special Economic Zone was established here. Over the past 30 years, Shenzhen has transformed from a frontier fishing village to a modern metropolis. Currently, it is a thriving Chinese industrial, scientific and technical centre with a distinctive high-tech sector.
The partnership agreement between the cities was signed in 1993. The City Development and Foreign Relations Department at the Poznań City Hall is responsible for foreign cooperation.
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