Celebrating 15 years of fraternity

Friendship between Wuhan, Hubei province, and Christchurch, New Zealand, has endured for decades

In the face of a future fraught with uncertainty, cooperation and not confrontation is the key to getting things back to normal in a post-COVID-19 pandemic world, officials said.

"It is better to light one small candle than to curse the darkness," said Michelle MacWilliam, chair of the Christchurch China Sister Cities Committee.

This year marks the 15th anniversary of the sister city relationship between Christchurch, New Zealand, and Wuhan, capital of Hubei province.

Their relationship over the years has proved fruitful. MacWilliam visited Wuhan in 2015, 2017 and 2018, and for her, it is "a beautiful modern city that still has many aspects that remind people of its rich history, as seen in its many sculptures and large, impressive buildings on main streets".

"Traveling around Wuhan, and indeed all of China, there is an obvious civic pride in being Chinese," she said. "The people are welcoming and seek to know where you, as a visitor, come from. They are proud of their culture and willingly take the time to share their knowledge and show their expertise."

MacWilliam noted that Wuhan is a typical inland city with significant variations in temperature throughout the year, while Christchurch features an oceanic, mild climate.

Moreover, Wuhan has over 10 million people, while Christchurch only has 400,000, and Wuhan is also much larger in size.

The two have a lot in common. For example, both have a strong interest in education－Wuhan has numerous prestigious universities, while Christchurch is home to two of New Zealand's eight universities. Each city has also developed new technology, materials and products, and both enjoy a dynamic economy.

MacWilliam said that Wuhan and Christchurch have both endured hardships tied to natural disasters, with the Hubei capital weathering periodic flooding of the Yangtze River and the Christchurch area experiencing earthquakes in 2010 and 2011.

"One could say the two cities have walked a similar path in the face of adversity," she said.

Amid the pandemic, Wuhan－the city hit hardest by COVID-19 on the Chinese mainland－and Christchurch have exchanged messages of support and continue to share information, she added.