- Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok talks possible cooperation and exchange with Tianjin Party Secretary of Tianjin, signs joint declaration with Tianjin’s Mayor -

- Tianjin Mayor Zhang Gong says he is looking forward to working closely with Incheon at the trilateral conference for growth between Korea, China, and Japan -

Incheon and Tianjin (China) agreed to resume passenger ferry services between the two cities as early as possible, and to encourage exchange as well as cooperation across a variety of different fields going forward.

During his trip to Tianjin, Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok met with the Secretary of Tianjin's Communist Party Committee, Chen Min'er, and the City’s Mayor, Zhang Gong, at the State Guest House on June 29 to explore the possibility of resuming the currently suspended car ferry service between Incheon and Tianjin.

<Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok discussing means of future cooperation with the Secretary of Tianjin's Communist Party Committee, Chen Min'er, and the City’s Mayor, Zhang Gong, at the State Guest House on June 29.> 

The car ferry service between the two cities, which started on December 24, 1991, was suspended more than three years ago in February 2020 due to the advanced service age of the ferry itself (30 years). 

In this regard, Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok, Secretary Chen Min’er, and Mayor Zhang Gong agreed that the prolonged suspension of the ferry service is inhibiting not only trade, but also the free movement of people, and that the ferry should resume its services in the near future. 

Moreover, Secretary Chen Min-er Cheon supported Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok’s proposal to form a cooperative economic community featuring the Mayors/Provincial Governors from Korea (Incheon), China (Tianjin), and Japan (Kobe). Zhang Gong said a new cooperative community could indeed help the development, future prospects, and stability of all three countries.

Prior to this, in a special lecture at Nankai University on the same day, Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok proposed the same cooperative economic community between the three sister cities of Incheon, Tianjin, and Kobe, each of which serves as the most important port cities of Korea, China, and Japan, respectively. 

In a joint declaration celebrating three decades of friendship between Incheon and Tianjin, Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok and Tianjin Mayor Zhang Gong agreed to continue building on the sister city relationship between the two cities with regular programs dispatching high-ranking officials. Moreover, the two Mayors agreed to bolster exchange cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, education, disease control, health, tourism, port logistics, culture, and academics, as well as to further promote the exchange of people.

To this end, the two cities will look to participate in international events, work together over student exchange programs, share technology and information related to disease control and health, promote tourism and logistics using various tourism and port infrastructure, and facilitate various cultural and academic events.

Meanwhile, at the ceremony celebrating Incheon and Tianjin’s 30th anniversary as sister cities (Tianjin Grand Theater, Tianjin), the Incheon Metropolitan City Dance Theatre and the Tianjin City Performance Group delivered a touching and entertaining performance for the audience, in hopes that the two cities can build a stronger relationship going forward. 

Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok said, “In celebration of the 30th anniversary of our relationship as sister cities with Tianjin, we will continue to grow our exchanges and friendly relations at the local government level, including regular visits by high-ranking officials from both cities.” He added, “We have invited a delegation from Tianjin to the In-China Forum scheduled for September, and Mayor Zhang Gong said he is looking forward to taking part in the proceedings.”

<Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok and Tianjin Mayor Zhang Gong taking commemorative photos after signing the declaration at the signing ceremony for the 30th anniversary of Incheon and Tianjin’s sister city relationship (State Guest House of Tianjin, China) on June 29.>