Canberra Beijing Sister City relationship
The Canberra Beijing sister city relationship was formalised with the signing of the Sister City Agreement on 14 September 2000 with the then Mayor of Beijing, Mr Liu Qi and former Chief Minister of the ACT Ms Kate Carnell MLA. The relationship was established to further develop cultural and business opportunities for both cities.
The main focus of the relationship presently is economic, through business, trade and promotion of the ACT. To date, delegations between Canberra and Beijing have covered environmental management (especially water), agriculture, public administration, tourism, education and hospitality training.
Canberra was the only Australian city to host a leg of the Torch Relay on 24 April 2008. This major event introduced an exciting dimension to the Canberra Beijing Sister City relationship.
Canberra Beijing Sister City Agreement [PDF 
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About Beijing
Beijing, the capital of China is situated 43.5m above sea level in north-east China. It is the second largest city following Shanghai and is the cultural, political and intellectual centre of the country, as well as a major industrial and commercial metropolis.
The history of Beijing can be traced back to over 3000 years ago. The earliest recorded settlement dates back to around 1045 B.C.
Beijing’s tourist industry is a significant sector of the city’s economy. The Great Wall, tombs containing the remains of the 13 and 16 Ming emperors and the Palace Museum, located within the Forbidden City, are some of the most popular historical and cultural attractions. The Forbidden City is one of the largest palace complexes in the world occupying a rectangular area of more than 720m2 which comprises of a series of great halls and palaces. Built more than 500 years ago, this complex was the imperial home to 24 emperors of the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties.
Beijing is comprised of ten urban districts and eight predominantly rural counties. It is home to 11.5 million people. The Chinese dialect spoken in Beijing, Putonghua, serves as the model for the rest of the country to follow, and is taught in schools across the country.
Beijing is home to 475 research centers, and more than 60 institutions of higher learning.
Major industries in Beijing include tourism, electronics, chemicals, automobile, machinery, metallurgy, textiles, garments, and household appliances.
