Malta's Marsaskala, China's Dujiangyan sign sister city agreement

Photo taken in St. Julian's, Malta, on Dec. 7, 2022 shows Mario Calleja (C, on the screen), mayor of Marsaskala, speaking at an online signing ceremony of a sister city agreement. Marsaskala, a seaside town in the southeast of Malta, and Dujiangyan, a city in China's southwestern Sichuan Province, signed a sister city agreement on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Chen Wenxian)

VALLETTA, Dec. 7 (Xinhua) -- Marsaskala, a seaside town in the southeast of Malta, and Dujiangyan, a city in China's southwestern Sichuan Province, signed a sister city agreement on Wednesday.

"Our cooperation has bright prospects," Zhang Yadan, mayor of Dujiangyan, said at the ceremony. He said he expected the two cities to build a platform for exchanges and cooperation together, to complement each other's strengths and to reach a mutually beneficial outcome.

The two cities have collaborated efficiently since October 2019, when they signed the memorandum of understanding (MoU) on establishing friendly relations, Zhang said.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Malta and China, and now is the best time for the two cities to sign the sister city agreement, Mario Calleja, mayor of Marsaskala, said.

Photo taken in St. Julian's, Malta, on Dec. 7, 2022 shows Zhang Yadan (on the screen), mayor of China's Dujiangyan, speaking at an online signing ceremony of a sister city agreement. Marsaskala, a seaside town in the southeast of Malta, and Dujiangyan, a city in China's southwestern Sichuan Province, signed a sister city agreement on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Chen Wenxian)

Calleja said he expected the agreement to open up further opportunities for exchanges in the areas of culture, tourism and education.

Jean Paul Gatt, charge d' affaires of the Maltese Embassy in China, said that the agreement reflects the sound relations between the two countries and the unremitting desire of the two peoples to enhance friendship, cooperation and mutual understanding.

The agreement opens a new chapter for friendly exchanges and practical cooperation between the two cities, Peng Yijun, charge d' affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Malta, said.