International Observation Report: The Formation and Dissolution of the Sister City Relationship Between Maastricht and Chengdu

Compiled on March 21, 2025, from the Office of the Mayor of Chemsterdam

Chemsterdam Observation Brief: The Maastricht–Chengdu Sister City Relationship (2012–2024)

Compiled on March 21, 2025, Office of the Mayor of Chemsterdam

Foreword

This brief compiles publicly available materials from the Municipality and City Council of Maastricht, including council resolutions, policy replies, diplomatic memos, and records of official visits between 2012 and 2024. It outlines the timeline, content, and procedural basis of the sister city relationship between Maastricht and Chengdu. The information reflects the perspective and administrative records of the Dutch side.

No official documents from the Chengdu municipal government have been identified at this time. Efforts are being made to gather further information and perspectives from the Chengdu side in order to develop a fuller understanding of the bilateral engagement.

I. Background and Agreement Process

According to a 2023 response from the Maastricht City Council, the proposal to initiate a sister city relationship with Chengdu originated from the Maastricht municipal government between 2011 and 2012. The stated goals included:

• Supporting potential provincial-level cooperation between Limburg and Sichuan (a formal agreement was signed between Limburg Province and Sichuan Province in 2014: link);

• Exploring opportunities for economic, educational, and medical engagement with inland China;

• Assisting institutions such as Zuyd University of Applied Sciences and Brightlands Health Campus in developing ties with Chinese counterparts.

On October 13, 2012, Mayor Onno Hoes of Maastricht and Mayor Ge Honglin of Chengdu signed the sister city agreement in Chengdu. The agreement was valid for five years with automatic renewal unless terminated in writing.

II. Areas of Cooperation and Recorded Activities

Five main areas of collaboration were outlined and implemented over the course of the relationship:

1. Governmental exchanges: official visits, mayoral forums, policy discussion

2. Economic collaboration: business matchmaking, innovation showcases

3. Health and life sciences: institutional partnerships in medical research and care

4. Education: memoranda of understanding between universities, student and faculty exchange

5. Cultural and public diplomacy: performing arts, photography, culinary programs

Examples of documented outcomes include:

• A health partnership between Brightlands Health Campus and Suining Central Hospital

• An MoU between Zuyd University and universities in Chengdu

• Cultural performances and workshops by SALLY Dance Company in Chengdu

• Participation by a Maastricht-based photographer in Chengdu’s Sister Cities Photo Exhibition

• The donation of 6,080 medical masks by Chengdu to Maastricht in early 2020 during the COVID-19 outbreak

III. Budget and Public Expenditures

According to figures provided by the Maastricht municipal government, total expenditures related to the sister city cooperation between 2013 and 2021 amounted to €151,448.27. This covered:

• Official delegation travel costs

• Hosting and ceremonial expenses

• Cultural and educational exchange subsidies

• Partial support for external institutional representatives (e.g., Brightlands)

These expenses were funded through the municipality’s internationalization and economic promotion budget lines and were subject to council oversight.

IV. Council Review and Termination

From 2022 onward, the Maastricht City Council began raising questions regarding the ongoing relevance and impact of the cooperation with Chengdu. The timeline is as follows:

• In 2022, a number of council members initiated inquiries regarding the effectiveness of the projects, as well as human rights and political implications.

• On April 12, 2023, thirteen council members, including representatives from VVD, submitted written questions citing the lack of measurable benefits, human rights concerns, and academic freedom issues, particularly in relation to the Confucius Institute.

• On July 2, 2024, the City Council voted by 28 to 9 to formally terminate the sister city relationship.

This is understood to be the first case in the Netherlands where a municipal partnership with a Chinese city was discontinued via council vote on ethical and human rights grounds.

V. Further Inquiry

To date, all cited information comes from Dutch municipal records. As no official documentation from Chengdu has yet been identified, this report remains one-sided in perspective. In light of this, the Office of the Mayor of Chemsterdam intends to make contact with individuals or institutions in Chengdu in an effort to better understand how the relationship was experienced and evaluated from the Chinese side.

The documents reviewed so far are technical and procedural in nature, and limited in narrative context. Further input—particularly from Chengdu—may contribute valuable insights to complement the existing record.

Completed on March 21, 2025

Office of the Mayor of Chemsterdam

All the documents are from the website: https://www.gemeentemaastricht.nl/forms/search/advanced/alles?dosearch=true&offset=20&update-_text_nl_=chengdu