Zhucheng City, People's Republic of China
In 1996, the Mayor of the City of Belleville and the Mayor of the City of Zhucheng City signed an agreement of friendship in order:
- to promote the understanding and friendship between the peoples of these two communities, and
- to strengthen and develop the friendship and co-operation between the two cities to enhance the good relations, the common interests, and the successful co-operation between the two cities.
Among the anticipated resulting benefits would be achieving prosperity and the development of both cities by co-operation in the areas of economy, trade, science and technology, culture, education and training in health matters.
The City of Zhucheng (formerly called Mizhou), located in the south-east part of Shandong Peninsula, south of the City of Bejing, covers an area of approximately 2,183 square kilometres. Well over one million people reside in this City which is known for handicraft products, manufacturing industry (garments, knitting, tire, electronic, machinery), agricultural industry (grain, cotton, oil and tobacco) and medical products. The City of Zhucheng has been regarded as a precedent-setting laboratory in China for radical state-enterprise reform towards privatization.
The Mayor of the City of Zhucheng indicated in 1996 that the City of Belleville was chosen as a preferred community for twinning because of similarities in the economies of the two communities.
Gunpo City, South Korea
In 1996, the Mayor of the City of Belleville and the Mayor of the City of Gunpo signed an agreement of intent to establish a twin-city relationship between the two communities in order:
- to promote the understanding and friendship between the two peoples, and
- to strengthen and develop the friendship and co-operation between the two cities to enhance the good diplomatic relations, the common interests, and the successful co-operation between the two cities.
Among the anticipated resulting benefits would be achieving prosperity and development of both cities by co-operation in the areas of economy, trade, science and technology, culture, education and training in health matters.
Gunpo City is a satellite of Seoul, South Korea's capital city. While occupying a land area similar to the urban area of the City of Belleville (36.1 square kilometres), it is home to approximately 270,000 residents. It was historically known as Nam-myon Kwachun-kun, but through the 1970's and 1980's was raised to the status of Gunpo City. This thriving industrial community provides a very high standard of living for its residents in an incredibly beautiful setting. Through the efforts of the Korean Government, Gunpo City has evolved from a small urban community in the 1980's to a modern metropolis of homes, industry and commercial districts, all nestled into the fabric of the mountainous terrain of South Korea. As with Belleville, the people of Gunpo City experience four distinctive seasons, and like Belleville, Gunpo City has recently experienced the process of municipal restructuring and amalgamation.
With excellent highway and rail access to major commercial and industrial centres throughout South Korea, Gunpo City is the model of success in South Korea.
The City of Lahr, Federal Republic of Germany
In 1971, the Council of the City of Belleville initiated the twinning of the City with the City of Lahr, Germany. A major contributing factor in this initiative was that the Canadian armed forces maintained an airbase in Lahr, important given the closeness of the Trenton airbase which is located just west of the City of Belleville. It was hoped at the time that such twinning would lead to better understanding between officials of the two communities, and perhaps even to the establishment of subsidiary industry. The Canadian air force base near Lahr has since closed but the strong ties between the City of Lahr and Belleville have continued. Friendship visits between the citizens and officials of the cities of Lahr and Belleville occur on a regular basis.
The City of Lahr, home to a population of 42,000, is located in Baden-Warttemberg Province in south-west Germany. The old city centre and its location in Germany's famous Black Forest make this community and region a very relaxing and enjoyable place to spend time. Lahr is located close to the Rhine River, France and Switzerland, and is within easy travel distance to all of southern Germany and major cities of Stuttgart and Munich.