The city of Shawnee and Citizen Potawatomi Nation are partners in a new Chinese Sister Cities agreement.
A delegation from Jinchang City, China, is visiting Shawnee and an official reception and signing ceremony was held Thursday afternoon at the CPN Cultural Center.
Mayor Chuck Mills and CPN Chairman Rocky Barrett signed the agreement with Jinchang City Mayor Zhang Lingping.
Mayor Lingpin and the Chinese delegation arrived in Shawnee Wednesday afternoon and had dinner at St. Gregory’s University, followed by a tour of the Mabee Gerrer Musuem.
Before the signing celebration Thursday, the delegation visited area industries, then toured Oklahoma Baptist University and Shawnee Milling Company before touring the CPN Cultural Heritage Center. The group was set to enjoy a private dinner and gaming at FireLake Grand Casino Thursday night.
Today, the group will have breakfast at Gordon Cooper Technology Center and go on another Shawnee business tour before departing for Oklahoma City, where they’ll stay the weekend before returning to China on Monday.
This is the second Sister Cities collaboration for Shawnee.
The city entered a Sister Cities agreement with Nikaho, Japan, in 1990. Each year, both Shawnee and Nikaho send large numbers of students, as well as adults, to visit each other’s cities and learn about their culture.
Information compiled by Reporter Kim Morava
