Mayors meet in tale of two cities

By Yan Zhen  |   2008-7-5  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

Shanghai Mayor Han Zheng (right) presents a gift to his Buenos Aires counterpart Mauricio Macri yesterday on the occasion of the Argentine delegation's visit to the city and their talks on future exchanges. More in photo gallery

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SHANGHAI and Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, are looking forward to strengthening exchanges in urban development areas such as construction and environmental protection, the cities' mayors said yesterday.

The announcement was made after Shanghai Mayor Han Zheng met his Buenos Aires counterpart Mauricio Macri in the city hall yesterday. The government delegation arrived in the city after a visit in Beijing earlier in the week.

Macri told Han that Argentina had much in common with China and it attached great importance to Shanghai.

"We always consider China, especially Shanghai, a strategic partner," Macri said, adding that his government hoped to foster a stronger partnership with Shanghai in trade and investment.

"This visit is expected to consolidate mutual exchanges in the two city's traffic, urban construction and planning," he said.

Han said that sport always brought people closer. As the 2008 Beijing Olympics is drawing near, Shanghai is gearing up for the soccer match section of the sports event, which is scheduled to be held in the city.

While preparing for the Olympics as well as 2010 World Expo, locals also pay great attention to reasonable urban planning and environmental protection.

The visit is expected to provide delegates with an overall understanding of Shanghai, which may facilitate further cooperation between the two sides, Han said.