Baguio, Chongzuo eye sisterhood ties
The cities of Baguio and Chongzuo in China recently started exploratory talks leading to the forging of twinning and sisterhood ties between the two local governments.
Last week, a delegation from the Philippine-Guangxi Commercial Association, Inc. serving as representatives of Chongzuo City in China visited the city and had an interaction with the members of the Sister Cities Executive Committee that focused on the processes to be adopted for the forging of the sisterhood ties between the two cities in the future.
The delegation was composed of Executive Vice Presidents Zhao Fu’an and Feng Tao, Vice President and General Secretary Wei Shengbo, Sister City Ambassador Bo Tao Zheng, Administrative Officer/Coordinator Mary Alice S. Rumbaoa and Technical Working Staff Zhang Hailin, Iyu Zhanglu and Julieta Quinto.
Both Baguio and Chongzuo have common attributes such as being mountainous and hilly.
However, in terms of land area, Baguio has only more than 57 square kilometers compared to Chongzuo’s more than 17,345 square kilometers land area that borders China and Vietnam.
For Baguio, it has a rich cultural heritage and the melting pot of the Cordillera while Chongzuo is influenced by the rich Chinese culture.
Tourism, education, retail and the service sectors drive Baguio’s main economic landscape with agriculture, arts and crafts and the presence of academic institutions contributing to the city’s economic diversity while agriculture, particularly the cultivation of fruits and vegetables, as well as forestry and ecotourism initiatives propel Chongzuo’s main economy that contribute to the Guangxi Autonomous Region’s economic growth.
Chongzuo boasts of a rapidly developing infrastructure, especially in urban centers while Baguio showcases modern infrastructure with a mix of urban and rural areas.
On the other hand, Baguio is gearing towards sustainable development and preservation while Chongzuo is focused on urban development influenced by Chinese urban planning principles.
In terms of tourism, Baguio is known as the country’s Summer Capital and is a popular tourist destination because of its scenic beauty and diverse attractions as well as its cool climate and vibrant cultural events while Chongzuo is known for its breathtaking karst landscapes, diverse ethnic cultures and ecotourism opportunities enticing visitors with its natural beauty and cultural richness.
The city will await the formal communication from the Mayor of Chongzuo signifying the intention to forge sisterhood ties with Baguio to start the process that will lead to the signing of the memorandum of agreement formalizing the sisterhood relationship between the two cities. – Dexter A. See
