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Beijing Mayor Wang Qishan (1st Right), his London counterpart
Ken Livingstone (Centre) and the Chairman of LOCOG Lord Sebastian
Coe (1st Left) unveil the “London Experience” exhibition
in Beijing on April 10, 2006.
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On January 27, 2006 , Mayor of London Ken Livingstone and
Chinese Super Girl Champion Li Yuchun light Chinese lanterns
and launch “China in London” year.
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The
visiting Chairman of the London Organizing Committee for
the Olympic Games Lord Sebastian Coe visited Beijing No.
80 High School on April 4, 2006, and coached its most promising
athlets.
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In April 2006, Mayor of Beijing Wang Qishan and the visiting
Mayor of London Ken Livingstone signed a “sister city”
agreement that reflected their joint commitment to work together
in promoting the two international metropolises. Livingstone said
he was particularly interested in Beijing’s experience in
controlling pollution and beefing up security – two aspects
that are crucial to the hosting of a successful Olympics.
Beijing’s preparations for the 2008 Olympic Games are already
well underway. And London’s successful bid to host the Games
in 2012 means the two cities have a unique opportunity to enhance
cooperation and share their Olympic experiences.
Livingstone remarked that both cities could expect tremendous
benefits from stronger ties, as Beijing is the capital of the
world’s fastest growing economy, while London is the financial
capital of the world.
Under the five-year sister city agreement, the two cities are
preparing to strengthen commercial, educational and sports-related
ties while building increasingly warm relations. London has also
established sister city relations with New York, Moscow, Berlin
and Paris.
Direct investment from Chinese enterprises has been flooding
into the UK in recent years. The UK is China’s number one
destination for foreign direct investment in the European Union,
and about 30 percent of that investment is channeled into London.
Last January saw the launch of “China in London 2006,”
the largest celebration of Chinese culture ever staged in the
British capital. Senior policy advisor on culture to the mayor
of London Judith Woodward remarked at the opening ceremony that
it gave Londoners a unique opportunity to experience Chinese culture.
Woodward added that she hoped Beijing and London could enhance
cooperation over the next six years, as the two cities will respectively
host the Olympics in 2008 and 2012.
All things Chinese were promoted across London during the season,
including dragon and lion dances, martial arts and Peking Opera.
The cornerstone exhibition was “Emperors of China, 1662-1795,”
held in the Royal Academy of Arts. It focused on the 150-odd years
of the three most powerful emperors of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911):
Emperors Kangxi, Yongzhen and Qianlong. The majority of the items
on display were loaned by Beijing’s Palace Museum, (in the
Forbidden City) including 130 paintings, bronze ware, precious
jades, porcelains, imperial furniture, weapons and scientific
instruments. Most of the items had never before been seen outside
of China.
One local viewer described how the exhibition gave her the chance
to satisfy her thirst for knowledge of Chinese history and culture.
“I was particularly impressed by the painted scrolls and
the porcelain. They are of great historical significance,”
she said.
And an official with the Office of the Mayor of London made a
humorous comparison of the two capitals. He said, “Both capitals
are steeped in history – London has the Tower of London,
and Beijing has its Forbidden City. Both are now modern cosmopolitans
with convenient metro systems. London has its famous Oxford Street,
and Beijing has its 10-kilometer-long Chang’an Street. But
I don’t think I’d ever be able to explore the latter
fully – at least not in one day!”
Livingstone was the first Mayor of London to visit China. During
the trip, he worked in his new Beijing and Shanghai offices. It
was the first time ever that a London Mayor established offices
abroad. He headed up a delegation of more than 70 people that
included members of the Olympic Organizing Committee, and representatives
from the business, science and education communities. “The
close links to China, the fastest developing country in the world,
have brought huge profits to London,” Livingstone said before
the tour, “and boosting these ties will greatly benefit London’s
strategic development.”
Livingstone started his meeting with Mayor of Beijing Wang Qishan
by discussing pollution. “We both have environmental problems
brought about by economic development and have to make every effort
to solve them,” he said. “London could learn much from
Beijing’s efforts to improve its air quality.”
Wang and Livingstone then launched the London Experience –
a three-day exhibition in Beijing’s Millennium Monument that
offered a taste of London’s attractions. The exhibition featured
multimedia that allowed Beijing citizens to catch a glimpse of
London’s present and future, including the site for the 2012
Olympic Games, the crowded downtown streets and the famous London
Eye – the Millennium Wheel.
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