Cupertino City Council
September 6, 2023

Cupertino-Tongxiang July, 28, 2023
Friendship City Association
Dear Ms. Kapoor,
On behalf of the Cuperno-Tongxiang Friendship City Associaon, I am wring to request the renewal of the Friendship City status between the City of Cuperno and the City of Tongxiang.

We sincerely hope to connue the formal friendship-city relaons between Cuperno and Tongxiang to provide opportunies and encourage culture, trade and educaon exchanges between the two cies. I believe our friendship will foster posive communicaon and mutually beneficial acvies.

Below is the supporng material to respond to requests outlined in your email of July 12, 2023. Please feel free to contact me if there are any quesons or more informaon is needed.

Sincerely,
Angela Chen
408-858-2368

Cuperno-Tongxiang Friendship City Renewal Applicaon:
● Summary of your Friendship delegaon visits to Cuperno hosted by the Commiee over the last two years. If none, please explain why not.

All internaonal exchanges and local group gatherings and events were on hold due to the global pamdemic. There have been no vising acvies since 2020.
● Summary of Cuperno delegaon visits hosted by the Friendship City Associaon. If none, please explain why not.

All internaonal exchanges and local group gatherings and events were on hold due to the global pamdemic. There have been no vising acvies since 2020.
● Descripon of acvies held and Outcomes. If none, please explain why not.

In the beginning of the global padenmic and during the shelter-in-place period, there was a severe shortage of face masks. Friends of Tongxiang City sent face masks to us as a support for the friendship city. Also, in the past two years, we oen met/talked online to discuss future exchange plans. ● How the relaonship has been mutually beneficial for Cuperno and the Friendship Community.

Since the establishment of the formal Friendship City relaonship in 2017, Tongxiang City built a statue of two connected city logos (as pictured in the Leerhead on top of this document), which resides in a popular city park for residents of Tongxiang to view and recognize the importance of the friendship between the two cies. Cuperno city officials aended the annual Internaonal Economic and Trade Fair in Tongxiang from 2017 unl the Covid hit in 2020. In 2018, a group of Silicon Valley local business owners joined Cuperno city officials to aend Tongxiang’s Internaonal Trade Conference. They explored business opportunies that could expand the potenal for new investments and cooperaon. Tongxiang City hopes for further post-pandemic exchanges in all areas with Cuperno and connues the friendship between the two cies .

The acvies facilitated by the Cuperno-Tongxiang Friendship City Associaon enabled both communies to beer understand each other’s culture and learn best pracces from both sides.
● An Updated Profile of the Friendship City Commiee.

The Friendship City Committee: Cupertino-Tongxiang Friendship City Association Vision: Promote mutual understanding and cooperation through direct city-to-city, person-to-person connections. Mission: Work to create friendly relationships based on culture, education, information and trade exchanges. Name of person requesting continuation of the friendship city relationship: Angela Chen Title: President of the Cupertino – Tongxiang Friendship City Association Name of person requesting continuation of the friendship city relationship: Peggy Chien Title: Co-President of the Cupertino – Tongxiang Friendship City Association Introduction of Tongxiang Friendship City:

Name and Country of the Friendship City: Tongxiang City, Zhejiang Province, People’s Republic of China
Tongxiang is a city located in northern Zhejiang Province at the geographical center of the Shanghai-Hangzhou-Suzhou (Huhangsu) triangle. The Huhangsu triangle is formed by 3 major cities all within one hour of automobile transportation among one another. It is a nationally targeted economic development area.

Thanks to its premium geographical location, the city enjoys a great market potential for development of local industries. The city is focusing on economic growth through high technology development. They would like to learn more from Cupertino and Cupertino can benefit from resources and supplies available from Tongxiang.

Tongxiang City Profile:

The Tongxiang area has been known as the land of fish and rice of China. It is the home of the silk industry, and a place of beautiful scenery and rich cultural heritage.

The city boasts many historic and cultural sites, including the ancient town-in-water of Wuzhen, the famous Fuyan Temple, the former residence of Mao Dun – a renowned novelist, YuanYuanTang – the former residence of artist Feng Zikai, and the Juntao Art Institute in honor of artist Qian Juntao.

Tongxiang is also known for its splendid legacies of the Majiabang and Liangzhu Cultures of the Neolithic Age and a water town culture nurtured by rivers and canals.

Tongxiang New Industrial Development Zone: The Tongxiang Municipal Government always adopts an enterprise-oriented approach and provides support for businesses in every stage of development through a one-stop administrative system, with positive actions to implement supporting policies, reduce the burden on enterprises, develop industrial clusters and attract excellent professionals. As the initiator of a three-in-one governance pattern (i.e. a combination of rule by law, rule by morality and self governance) in China, Tongxiang has been trying to involve more civil forces to improve its public services and is growing into an important investment destination with unique competitive advantages in the Yangtze River Delta region. Having retained its historic charm and vigor, Tongxiang is now shining more brilliantly than ever. With the aim of building a city performing excellently in manufacturing, services and internet economy, it has been striving to develop into an influential ″city of innovation″, enabling business development and entrepreneurship in the Yangtze River Delta region.

City of Tongxiang’s contact information: Tongxiang City Bureau of Commerce No. 6, Zhenxing East Road (East), Wutong Street, Tongxiang City, Zhejiang Province, China Telephone Number: 0573-88107162 Fax 0573-88110321 Frie
Revealing the Statue of Friendship with the two city logos connected together represenng friends forever