Tianjin-Melbourne Sister City Business Forum Successfully Held in TEDA

On the afternoon of September 22, the Tianjin-Melbourne Sister City Business Forum, along with sub-forums on the green economy industry, health industry (clinical trials), vocational education, and industry-education integration, was held in Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area (TEDA). The event was chaired by Mark Cochrane-Holly, Director of Economic Development and International Affairs at the City of Melbourne and Invest Melbourne. Nicholas Reece, Mayor of Melbourne, and Hong Shicong, Chairman of the TEDA Administrative Commission, delivered speeches. More than 80 entrepreneurs and representatives from higher education institutions from Australia and China gathered to discuss future cooperation.

Hong Shicong extended his welcome to the delegation of the City of Melbourne and business leaders led by Mayor Reece. He noted that this year marks the 45th anniversary of the sister-city relationship between Tianjin and Melbourne. As a key functional area playing a leading and supportive role in Tianjin's economic development, TEDA has carried out a series of friendly exchange activities with Melbourne, which have yielded fruitful results: In May of this year, the Invest TEDA Economic and Trade Exchange was successfully held in Melbourne, where over a hundred representatives from Chinese and Australian government and business sectors discussed development opportunities and reached multiple important agreements. In July, a delegation composed of more than 10 Australian companies made a return visit to TEDA, leading to the successful establishment of a series of economic and trade collaborations and advancing bilateral cooperation into a new, practical stage. Hong Shicong emphasized that he hopes this exchange will serve as an opportunity to deepen cooperation and achieve greater outcomes in areas such as green industries, life and health, smart technology, education, and healthcare.

In his speech, Nicholas Reece drew a vivid analogy between Tianjin's Haihe River and Melbourne's Yarra River, eloquently illustrating the profound bond that transcends mountains and oceans between the two cities. He reviewed the extensive cooperation carried out over the past 45 years in areas such as business, education, health, and green economy, and pointed out that this forum would delve deeply into three key fields—healthcare, green economy, and education. This not only celebrates the long-standing friendship between the two sides but also opens the gate to deeper future collaboration.

During the event, Liu Xinguo, Deputy Director-General of the Tianjin Municipal Commerce Bureau, and Kou Xiaoshuang, Deputy Director-General of the Tianjin Municipal Investment Promotion Bureau, presented an overview of Tianjin's socioeconomic development and key industries.

In the subsequent sub-forums, entrepreneurs and academic representatives from China and Australia engaged in in-depth discussions focused on healthcare, green economy, and education. These sessions facilitated precise alignment of needs and laid a solid foundation for practical cooperation in the next phase.