The first group of guest speakers share their thoughts on innovation and urban development. [Photo provided to ehangzhou.gov.cn]

At a parallel forum on innovation and city development held during the 7th China-US Sister Cities Conference in Hangzhou, US delegates shared how innovation and partnerships are transforming their cities and deepening ties with China.

Kimberly Norton, mayor of Rochester, Minnesota, said her city's 20-year Destination Medical Center initiative — a $5.6 billion public-private partnership — is reshaping Rochester into a global hub for health innovation. "True innovation stems from connecting people, opportunities and resources," she said, adding that collaboration with Xi'an, capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi province, has inspired new approaches to sustainable growth.

Hosea Chew, director of administration at the Office of Baltimore City Council, Maryland, reflected on his city's long history of resilience and renewal. He highlighted Baltimore's waterfront revitalization and its 40-year sister-city relationship with Xiamen in East China's Fujian province as "a model of how learning and innovation can build bridges across cultures and generations".

Lau Jeffrey Daniel, mayor representative of Honolulu, Hawaii, emphasized the importance of cultural and educational exchanges. He noted that Honolulu has established sister-city ties with several Chinese cities, including Haikou, Zhongshan, Qinhuangdao and Chengdu, and continues to promote academic cooperation through programs such as the Confucius Institute at the University of Hawaii.

As the speakers concluded, they underscored that innovation transcends borders — and that sister-city partnerships remain vital engines for mutual understanding and sustainable urban development.

The second group of guest speakers share their thoughts on innovation and urban development. [Photo provided to ehangzhou.gov.cn]