Australian city seeks cooperation with Xiamen

Zhang Yigong (right), deputy mayor of Xiamen, meets Kon Vatskalis, mayor of Darwin, capital city of the Northern Territory of Australia, on Dec 6. [Photo/fo.xm.gov.cn]

Kon Vatskalis, the mayor of Darwin, capital city of the Northern Territory of Australia, led a delegation to Xiamen, Fujian province from Dec 6 to 7.

Zhang Yigong, deputy mayor of Xiamen, met the delegation on Dec 6.

Zhang introduced Xiamen's economic and social development and reviewed the city's exchanges with Australia.

He said that Xiamen plays an important role in China's foreign trade and has conducted frequent exchanges with Australia in trade, education and culture over the past years.

The city now is dedicated to creating a world-leading business climate and developing a MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions) industry, which offers a good opportunity for both sides to deepen their cooperation in trade and tourism.

Vatskalis said that Darwin is complementary with Xiamen in mineral resources and tourism.

The mayor hopes to show his city's unique culture, special industries and abundant natural resources to Xiamen residents and advance the two cities' cooperation in trade, education, energy and the aviation industry.

During his stay in Xiamen, Vatskalis also visited the Nanputuo Temple and Xiamen Airlines, the first airline company in China.

Darwin, the nearest city in Australia to China, is the largest center in the sparsely populated Northern Territory and has a population of more than 145,000. The city is abundant in mineral resources, including copper, gold, lead, manganese, iron, and uranium and also serves as a forwarding station for aircraft flying between Australia and Asia and Europe.