Zhang Jian, chairman of the CPPCC Xiamen Municipal Committee, offers two firefighting vehicles, two infrared fluoroscopes, and 50 sets of fire-proof suits to Cebu as a gift. [Photo/fao.xm.gov.cn]

Zhang Jian, chairman of the CPPCC Xiamen Municipal Committee, recently visited Cebu, Philippines, to promote cooperation between the two cities.

On Oct 31, Zhang attended several activities in celebration of the 35th anniversary of the establishment of sister-city relations between Xiamen and Cebu, during which he, on behalf of Xiamen, offered two firefighting vehicles, two infrared fluoroscopes, and 50 sets of fire-proof suits to Cebu as a gift.

Cebu has also named its most prosperous commercial street "Xiamen" to honor the strong relations between the two countries.

Zhang said at a meeting with Cebu's newly-elected mayor Edgardo Labella that Cebu was one of the first cities to forge friendly ties with Xiamen. Since then, the two cities have carried out frequent exchanges in economy, culture, tourism, education and culture.

He expressed hope for more practical cooperation with Cebu in the future.

During his stay in the Philippines, Zhang also visited Isko Moreno, mayor of Manila, the Chinese embassy and consulate in the Philippines, the Philippine Economic Zone Authority, and the Philippines branch of the Xiamen Friendship Association.

Cebu is the second largest city in the Philippines, and over the past 35 years, mayors of the city have visited Xiamen many times to discuss cooperation. In September this year, Mayor Labella led a delegation to Xiamen for the 2019 China International Fair for Investment and Trade, or CIFIT.

In celebration of the close relations between the two cities, Xiamen named one of its roads "Cebu" in 2007, while Cebu declared Oct 26 as Cebu-Xiamen Friendly Day in 2014.

As of August this year, the Philippines had established 224 companies in Xiamen with a contractual capital of $410 million, meaning it is the foreign country with the 13th most investment in the city.