Daqing, China's well-known "oil city" in northeastern Heilongjiang Province, recently made an overall economic cooperation agreement with the German city of Dessau.
The agreement, which was signed during the second visit to Daqing this year by the Dessau municipal delegation led by its Mayor H. G. Otto, encourages the two cities to cooperate in all fields including media, culture, research, construction, medical services and tourism.
The agreement also backs the cooperation between enterprises of the two cities, and vows to promote ties and exchanges in agriculture, forestry and animal husbandry.
Dessau recently expressed willingness to aid Daqing in its effort to improve local salina of 3,000 square kilometers. "Since Dessau has advantages in the chemical industry such as funds, human resources and technology and Daqing enjoys fame in oil production, the prospect of cooperation in this regard is bright," said Daqing's Mayor Wang Zhibin.
Since the discovery of the Daqing Oilfield in 1959, this "oil city" has provided China with crude oil totaling 1.6 billion tons. Dessau is famous for its machinery manufacturing, and the world's first civil airplane was made there.
(People's Daily October 19,2001)