Harbin won an International Sister City Exchange and Cooperation Award at a conference held in Chongqing municipality, according to news from Harbin’s foreign affairs department.

The China International Friendship Cities Conference  (CIFCC) was held jointly by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, China International Friendship Cities Association (CIFCA), and the Chongqing municipal people's government.

Nearly 700 people from more than 50 countries attended the CIFCC, themed “Innovation, development, cooperation and sharing.”

As a routine for this conference, CIFCA made an evaluation of the efforts for the friendly cooperation among Chinese and foreign cities between the year 2014 and 2015.

In order to promote substantial exchange and cooperation between friendship cities, those provinces, states and cities, home and abroad, that have made significant contributions to strengthen ties between sister cities were awarded the “Exchange and Cooperation Award for Chinese Cities’ Friendship Cities”, the “International Sister City Exchange and Cooperation Award”, and the “International Sister City Special Contribution Award”.

The “Exchange and Cooperation Award for Chinese Cities’ Friendship Cities” award was given to 76 cities including Edmonton, Canada, Auckland, New Zealand, Berlin, Germany.

The International Sister City Exchange and Cooperation Award was given to 37 Chinese cities including Beijing, Tianjin, and Harbin.

The “International Sister City Special Contribution Award” was given to Chongqing, Wuxi and Fuzhou.