The mayors of three major cities in south China, the western United States and New Zealand will sign a three-way trade and economic agreement later this month focusing on forging connections between cities' education, screen and digital innovation as well as tourism sectors, according to a statement from Auckland City Council on Friday.
Auckland Mayor Len Brown is to visit Guangzhou to mark the 25th anniversary of the sister city relationship between the two cities this month and his visit would coincide with a visit to Guangzhou by the Mayor of Los Angeles, another Auckland's sister city, said the statement.
A centerpiece of the visit would be the mayors of the three cities signing a trade and economic agreement believed to be the only agreement of its kind in the world, it said.
The trip and the new alliance aimed to raise the profile of New Zealand's biggest city with two international economic powerhouses, increase investment into Auckland and offer greater opportunity to Auckland businesses and entrepreneurs, in turn leading to job creation, it said.
A range of proposals were being considered by the three cities for an alliance work program, focusing on areas such as air quality and sustainability, waterfront regeneration, port-to-port alliance, chambers of commerce cooperation, film distribution, retail and fashion promotion.
The Auckland delegation would also visit another of Auckland's sister city, Ningbo, and the economic center Shanghai while in China from Nov. 9-17.