City of Prince George spent more than $10,000 hosting Chinese delegation

Mayor Simon Yu said the relationship could help raise awareness of business and investment opportunities in Prince George.

“We want to use this opportunity to open their eyes in terms of the business operating here, like forestry,” said Yu.

He added that the long-term value of the partnership would depend on how both cities choose to develop the relationship.

“What comes out of it is really what we do with it and recognize there’s a market perhaps for our manufactured products and vice versa.”

According to the FOI documents, the total cost of hosting the delegation was $10,330, including more than $3,700 in contracted services and expenses associated with official functions, including a mayoral luncheon.

Yu defended the expenditures, emphasizing that the city did not cover the delegation’s travel, accommodations, or local transportation costs.

“We didn’t pay their travel, we didn’t pay the hotel. We didn’t pay even the transportation for them locally. The only money we spent is just hosting a couple meals together,” he said.

However, the documents show meal-related expenses exceeded $4,000. Among the largest costs was a dinner at The Keg, attended by the delegation alongside the mayor, council members, and representatives from organizations including CNC, YXS, School District 57, UNBC, Tano T’enneh, and former Prince George mayor Colin Kinsley. The dinner bill totaled just over $1,280.

Yu said the visit represented a worthwhile investment for the city.

“It’s money well spent, in my opinion. It is a small amount relative to what we as a city spend on economic development and intergovernmental [relations]. So this is not a huge expense.”

Supporters of the proposed sister city relationship argue the partnership could create opportunities for trade, cultural exchanges, and economic development. Yu said the recent visit and a potential agreement could ultimately generate benefits for Prince George businesses and institutions.

Not everyone is convinced.

Dr. Hamish Telford, a political scientist at the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV), said sister city agreements have historically produced limited tangible outcomes and often serve a largely ceremonial purpose, such as the sister city agreement between Abbotsford and Fukagawa, Japan.

“I don’t think much more comes of it,” said Telford. “I can’t even recall hearing about school visits between the two cities or anything like that. These are mostly symbolic and ceremonial, I think.”

The proposed sister city agreement between Prince George and Jiangmen is expected to be debated by city council in August, where Mayor and council will decide whether to formalize the relationship.

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Email: Adam.Berls@pattisonmedia.com

by Adam Berls

City of Prince George spent more than $10,000 hosting Chinese delegation

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