During the official visit to Qingdao, mayor Obersnel will take part in the ISS 2010 Forum within the 2010 Qingdao International Sailing Week. The cities will have an opportunity to exchange experiences in organising major sports sailing events and developing sports tourism, all based on sustainable development. On this occasion, mayor Obersnel will present the development possibilities of Rijeka with an emphasis on the potentials of the port of Rijeka, investments in sports infrastructure and Rijeka experience in organising major sports competitions.

Friendship between Rijeka and Qingdao was initiated in 1998, when Rijeka was visited by a delegation coming from this Chinese port city with about 7 million inhabitants occupying an area of 10.654 sq. km in the Shandong Province. In a sequence of good relationships with the People's Republic of China and by mediation of the embassies of both countries, on 7 June 1998, on the occasion of the visit paid by a delegation of the city of Qingdao to Rijeka, a letter of intent was signed concerning the establishment of friendly relationships between the two port cities. A year later, a group of businessmen led by the Rijeka mayor visited Qingdao and on that occasion on 11 July 1999, the Agreement was signed whereby friendship was established. A number of contacts have been realised since then in terms of mutual visits, organising exhibitions, taking part in city manifestations, thus deepening friendly cooperation every year more and more.

During the sojourn in China, the delegation of the City of Rijeka will also visit Dalian, the city with which friendly connections have been established since 2006. Further to city officials, in Dalian, mayor Obersnel will also meet with the heads of the Dalian Tourism Bureau.

Moreover, the visit to China includes the official visit to Peking and the embassy of the Republic of Croatia to the People's Republic of China. In the course of the official meeting with ambassador Ante Simonić, the possibilities of strengthening cooperation in the field of the economy and tourism between China and Croatia, i.e. Rijeka will be dicussed. This meeting will also serve to prepare the announced visit of a delegation of the city of Ningbo to Rijeka at the beginning of November of the current year. The city of Ningbo is interested in developing closer cooperation with Rijeka and in particular with the Rijeka port.

Head of the Mayor's Cabinet
Doris Šajn