A photo exhibition marking the 30th anniversary of the friendship-city relationship between Shanghai and Dunedin, New Zealand, was inaugurated on Nov 18 at the Yuyuan Garden in downtown Shanghai.

The ceremony was graced by officials and delegations from both cities, with Mayor Jules Radich of Dunedin delivering a speech.

Since the establishment of their friendship-city ties in 1994, Shanghai and Dunedin have fostered a profound collaboration across sectors such as economy, trade, medical services, and education. A significant milestone in this partnership was reached in 2010 when Shanghai's Yuyuan Garden and Dunedin's Lan Yuan, a Chinese garden, became friendship gardens.

Mayor Radich emphasized the importance of Lan Yuan, which was unveiled to the public in 2008, as a key achievement in the enduring relationship between the two cities over the past three decades. He described Lan Yuan as the sole authentic Chinese garden in the Southern Hemisphere, serving as a venue for numerous significant festival celebrations, most notably its annual Chinese New Year festivities.

Furthermore, the mayor underscored the recent strides made in educational cooperation between Shanghai and Dunedin, noting the increasing number of student exchanges at the university level. Looking ahead, Radich expressed his eagerness to deepen collaboration in the business sector, expressing his intention to facilitate more partnerships by bringing local businesses from Dunedin to Shanghai and China.

The event was organized by the Foreign Affairs Office of the Shanghai Municipal People's Government, the Dunedin City Council of New Zealand, and the Huangpu District People's Government.