HANGZHOU – Cultural diplomacy took center stage at the 7th China-U.S. Sister Cities Conference on October 25, 2025, as experts explored how grassroots connections can shape global governance. During a CGTN-hosted roundtable titled "Civilization Dialogue and Global Governance: From Local Friendship to a Community with a Shared Future for Humanity," veteran advocates of cross-Pacific cooperation highlighted the enduring power of city-level partnerships.
Carol Robertson Lopez, Chair Emeritus of Sister Cities International, emphasized cultural understanding as the bedrock of U.S.-China relations: "When students from San Diego and Yantai collaborate on climate projects, or chefs from Chengdu and Louisville exchange recipes, they're writing the real story of our shared humanity."
Rodrigo Espinosa Rios, former Mayor of Livingston City, shared insights from municipal cooperation: "Our partnership with Zhuhai transformed wastewater management here. Such practical exchanges show how APEC members can operationalize sustainable development goals."
The discussion addressed challenges in multilateral frameworks, with participants advocating for city networks to complement national diplomacy. Recent data shows over 280 sister-city partnerships between the Chinese mainland and U.S. states, facilitating $7.8 billion in cultural and green technology exchanges since 2020.
As global audiences seek models for international cooperation, this dialogue underscores Asia's growing role in redefining 21st-century governance through cultural bridges rather than geopolitical divides.
