A successful international video conference was held on Aug 7 to further extend relations established between the city of Harbin – capital city of China’s northernmost Heilongjiang province – and Asahikawa city in Japan, according to local officials.

The two metropolises first established friendly sister relations in 1995.

Officials said that over the past 25 years, they had achieved remarkable results in the fields of politics, the economy and trade, science and technology, environmental protection and education – with the support and promotion of the governments on both sides and friendly people from all walks of life.

During the critical period in the fight against the novel coronavirus epidemic, the two cities donated masks to each other, reflecting their deep friendship, officials said.

During the talks, Harbin’s mayor suggested they take the 25th anniversary of their friendship as an opportunity to sign a memorandum of cooperation for top-level designs and long-term planning for future exchanges.

He also proposed strengthening cooperation in such fields as winter sports and ice and snow tourism, energy conservation and environmental protection.

Meanwhile, the cities should share their anti-epidemic knowledge and experience, and strengthen exchange and cooperation in the fields of the economy, trade and tourism, he said.

The mayor of Asahikawa city responded by echoing the proposals, and expressing his hopes that he could pay a visit to Harbin after the epidemic to celebrate the 25th anniversary of friendly sister city relations.