San Francisco Mayor London Breed is set to embark on her first official visit to China, aiming to deepen economic and people-to-people exchanges between the two nations.
In an exclusive interview with Xinhua, Breed expressed her enthusiasm for fostering friendly cooperation with Chinese communities during her visit. Accompanied by a delegation of local business and community leaders, she will meet with counterparts in Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Beijing, and Shanghai before returning to San Francisco on April 21.
Breed highlighted the importance of San Francisco as the United States' gateway to Asia, emphasizing the significant role of the local Chinese community in shaping the city's history and culture. \"Our San Francisco Chinese community has shaped the history, culture and strength of our city,\" Breed stated.
The mayor is particularly interested in strengthening ties between the San Francisco Bay Area and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. She envisions robust collaborations in science and technology, especially in the burgeoning field of artificial intelligence. \"Artificial intelligence is a huge industry in San Francisco, and China is leading the way in some of the most significant technologies. We hope to explore more opportunities to learn from each other and grow together,\" Breed added.
During the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders' Week in November 2023, Breed attended a welcome dinner for Chinese President Xi Jinping, where she praised his speech on galvanizing people into a strong force for China-U.S. friendship. Reflecting on the speech, Breed emphasized that the foundation of a strong China-U.S. relationship lies in societal interactions and youth engagement.
Breed's visit underscores San Francisco's commitment to building lasting partnerships and leveraging its diverse community to enhance international relations. She concluded, \"The relationship runs deep, and the opportunities are significant. I'm looking forward to what this trip is going to bring to San Francisco.\"
Wang Wenbin, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, welcomed Breed's visit and expressed hope for positive outcomes that would further promote cooperation and exchanges between San Francisco and China.
Reference(s):
San Francisco mayor keen on more U.S.-China people-to-people exchanges
cgtn.com
