This year marks the 10th anniversary of the sister-city relationship between Buffalo and Changzhou. On April 27, Buffalo’s Mayor Byron Brown made an online congratulatory speech.

As the mayor mentioned in the speech, the city of Buffalo and Changzhou initially formed a bond as friendship cities in 2009. In 2011, the two cities became sister cities. The relationship between Buffalo and Changzhou has been very fruitful, with many exchanges carried out in education, culture, art and medical research. Some of the highlights of the relationship include mutual tours, investment in a Chinese culture project, a joint neuro-science program established at the University of Buffalo and Changzhou University, and a short film series about our two cities. In particular, the mayor and friends from Changzhou jointly planted a tree at the botanical garden in Buffalo. The sister city ties continue to foster a long relationship between two cities, with citizen diplomats interacting with one another. It is his hope that the special relationship between Buffalo and Changzhou continues to grow and deepen for many decades to come.