The coastal city of Qingdao is an international metropolis. [Photo/WeChat account: qd12301]

Qingdao, a coastal city in China's eastern Shandong province, has formed a sister city network covering 89 cities in 51 countries, said the Information Office of the Qingdao municipal government at a press conference on Dec 14.

As part of the first batch of coastal open cities in China, Qingdao was among the country's first cities to establish friendly relations with their international counterparts in 1979 when it became a sister city of Shimonoseki City in Japan in October 1979.

Qingdao has since established sister city relationships with 29 cities in 27 countries and established friendly and cooperative city relationships with 57 cities in 33 countries, according to the city's information office. According to the intercontinental division of the friendship cities, there are 30 in Asia, 27 in Europe, four in Africa, 13 in North America, five in South America, and seven in Oceania.

In particular, Qingdao has enhanced exchanges and cooperations with cities in the member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization since 2018 when the SCO held a summit in Qingdao. So far, Qingdao has established friendly relations with 15 cities in 12 SCO countries.

Qingdao has also played host to a series of exchange programs to enhance city cooperation and people-to-people exchanges with its international friendship cities, said the information office.