Dalian, a booming port city in northeast China's Liaoning Province, will exchange civil servants with a city in the Republic of Korea (ROK), according to an agreement both cities signed in Dalian on Saturday.
To begin with, Dalian and Chunchon in the ROK will soon send one civil servant each to the other city to work in government departments. The civil servants will work on exchange in the other country for one year.
Leading officials from both cities have expressed willingness to give the exchanged civil servants real power and responsibilities.
Wang Chengmin, deputy mayor of Dalian, said the exchange aimed to promote bilateral cooperation in new and high technology and basic industries, as well as boost exchanges and cooperation between private enterprises and non-government groups.
"It will not only improve the overall skills of the civil servants, but also promote cultural exchanges and friendship between the two cities and countries," he said.
According to Dalian personnel department sources, more civil servant exchanges between the two cities will follow intermittently in the future.
Dalian, one of China's first cities to open up to foreign investment, is well-known for its beautiful scenery and booming economy. Chunchon is a city strong in new and high-tech industries.
(People's Daily July 15, 2002)
