- Incheon Celebrates 30th Anniversary of Friendship with Dalian -

- Mayor of Incheon and Secretary of Dalian Commemorate 30 Years of Friendship and Commit to Strengthening Cooperation -

On September 5, Xiong Maoping, Secretary of Dalian, China, and his delegation visited Incheon Metropolitan City. They met with Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok to explore strategies for enhancing friendship and cooperation between the two cities.

<Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok and Xiong Maoping, Secretary of Dalian, China, 

pose for a commemorative photo during his visit on September 5.>

<Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok and Xiong Maoping, Secretary of Dalian , China, 

capture a moment together on September 5.>

Incheon and Dalian established their friendship on April 2, 1994, two years after diplomatic relations were established between China and Korea. Both cities, as major port hubs and logistics centers, share significant geographical and historical similarities, leading to active exchanges across various fields.

Between 2007 and 2010, Incheon public officials' marathon club participated in the Dalian International Marathon, and from 2011 to 2015, there were exchanges of public officials between the two cities. In 2013 and 2014, Dalian took part in the Incheon-China Culture and Tourism Festival, and in 2017 and 2019, Dalian sent delegations to the InChina Forum. In April 2024, the resumption of the car ferry service between Incheon and Dalian, which had been suspended for over four years due to the coronavirus pandemic, marked a renewed phase of exchanges between the two cities.

During the visit, the two cities exchanged commemorative plaques celebrating the 30th anniversary of their friendship and presented a video documenting their collaborative history. They also committed to enhancing cooperation and further exchanges.

"Incheon, as a global city, shares many similarities with Dalian, the economic, political, transportation, and logistics hub of the Liaodong Peninsula in Northeast China," said Mayor Yoo. "Let us work together to strengthen our mutual cooperation and build an even more solid friendship." 

Xiong Maoping, Secretary of Dalian, responded, "This is my first visit to Incheon and I am very impressed by Incheon International Airport and the Incheon Free Economic Zone. I hope this celebration will be a catalyst for deepening our cooperation in various areas, including the economy and culture." 

Dalian, located at the southern tip of the Liaodong Peninsula and approximately 280 kilometers from Incheon's Baengnyeongdo Island, serves as the economic and logistics hub of Northeast China and a key player in the northern region's development. The city’s main industries include manufacturing, petrochemicals, and electronics. In recent years, Dalian has actively engaged with Korean and Japanese companies, focusing on expanding its IT, financial, and other service sectors.