At the invitation of our city, a delegation of 30 teachers and students from Wakayama city visited Jinan from August 19-23.

     During the visit to Jinan, the delegation visited Dongcheng Yijia Junior High School in Jinan High-tech Zone, deeply experienced the school's traditional Chinese painting, STEM, aerobics, Taijiquan and other characteristic courses, and jointly held friendly football matches, artistic performance and other activities. The teachers and students of both sides had in-depth interaction and communication. The delegation also visited the city's high-tech enterprises, Daming Lake, Baihua Island historical and cultural block and other cultural landscape. Through the visit, the teachers and students not only gained the precious friendship, but also felt the vigorous development vitality and the good historical and cultural environment of Jinan city in an all-round way. Students said that after returning, they will share their feelings with more Japanese friends and contribute to the friendly exchanges between China and Japan.

     The Wakayama city is the first international sister city to Jinan. Since the establishment of the two cities in 1983, the two sides have carried out extensive exchanges and practical cooperation in the fields of culture, education and sports. In 2023, Liu Qiang, member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Shandong Provincial Party Committee and Secretary of Jinan Municipal Party Committee, went to Wakayama, and reached important consensus with Mayor Weihua Zhengqi on strengthening cooperation in the fields of culture, education and sports. The visit of the delegation of teachers and students from Wakayama City is an important measure to implement this consensus. It aims to promote friendly exchanges between the youth of the two cities, bring more Japanese friends closer to, learn about, fall in love with and publicize Jinan, and write a new chapter of cooperation between sister cities.