The City of Richmond has had a commitment to international understanding through sister-city relationships since 1961 when Richmond became the first US City to establish a sister-city relationship with a Japanese city by the name of Shimada.
In keeping with our belief that person-to-person contact promotes world peace, the City of Richmond formed a sister-city relationship with Zhoushan, China in 1993 at the request of Walter Fong, a San Francisco businessman who had grown up in Zhoushan. Mr. Fong presented the proposal to former Richmond City Councilmember Jim McMillan, who shepherded the establishment of the Richmond-Zhoushan Sister City relationship.
Subsequently, the first delegation from Zhoushan arrived in Richmond in the fall of 1993. The establishment of Richmond-Zhoushan relationship was completed when former Mayor Rosemary Corbin led a delegation of 19 Richmonders to Zhoushan and signed the first mutual agreement in 1994. Since then, the two cities have strived to send delegations back and forth on an annual alternating basis. Many lasting relationships have been formed, along with appreciation and understanding of our cultures has increased.
Our Sister City relationship has produced many successful exchanges, such as: a group of young professionals came from Zhoushan to study at Contra Costa College and live in Richmond homes, Richmond took two art exhibits to Zhoushan, Zhoushan brought an exhibit of Peasant Paintings to the Richmond Art Center where all were sold. Through a gracious donation from Kaiser Permanente Richmond, the committee was able to facilitate the delivery of essential medical supplies to the hospital in Zhoushan. We look forward to many more cultural and economic exchanges.
Richmond Zhoushan Commission generally meets on the second Wednesday of the month at 2:00pm in the Shimada Room of City Hall located at 440 Civic Center Plaza.
Resolution 22-93 Establishing a Sister City Relationship with Zhoushan, Zhejiang, PR China
Resolution 74-08 Establishing the Zhoushan Sister City Commission
