Tianjin, China
Wellington entered into a partnership with Tianjin as part of the World Bank-supported Megacities Earthquake Mitigation Initiative (EMI). The partnership had a focus on fostering the sharing of scientific, technical and policy expertise in the handling of the common threat of earthquakes.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed to formalise the Wellington-Tianjin partnership by the Mayor of Wellington Mark Blumsky and Vice Mayor of Tianjin Liang Su in Wellington on 22 August 2000.
Wellington Mayor Celia Wade-Brown and Tianjin Mayor Huang Xingguo signed a new agreement to set up a friendly city relationship in Tianjin on 22 July 2011. The partnership between Tianjin and Wellington remains strong and the cities are now focusing on creating tangible business and education opportunities from the relationship.