Second Symposium(Presentation of Kochi City)

Presenter:Takeshi Miyaji
Deputy Mayor Kochi City,JAPAN

SISTER CITY EXCHANGE ACTIVITIES BETWEEN KOCHI AND
SURABAYA CITY

Takeshi Miyaji
Deputy Maior
Kochi City I am Takeshi Miyaji Deputy of Kochi City. I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to the 2nd INAP Symposium here in Surabaya City. It is a great honor for me to have the chance to make a speech today.

Kochi City and the beautiful city of Surabaya have been sister cities since 1997. With the participation of the mayors of both cities in Surabaya City , the Sister City Exchange Agreement was concluded in April 1997 aiming at promotion the exchange of various field such as education, culture and sport.

Since the various activities have been exchanged between the two cities. Several parties have visited Surabaya City from Kochi, for example, a friendship visit consisting ofabout 90 citizens in Kochi led by Mayor Matsuo, an inspection visit from a group of fishery industries in Kochi, economic missions, and so on. On the other hand, from Surabaya City, we have received the educational missions to Kochi in two years in a row and long tenn trainees of Surabaya City officials.

Among the various activities, we have been especially promoting the economic exchange activities, Our range of activities to disseminate the information on the industries of Indonesia and Surabaya extends from made in Surabaya product promotion using product catalog, holding Indonesia Trade and Investment Seminars and production and broadcasting of TV prograims covering the exchange of both cities. Through these activities, we hope that an increasing in number of entrepreneurs in Kochi Prefecture will recognize the industries in Surabaya.

Nowadays, many citizens in Kochi City know that Kochi City and Surabaya City have a sister city relationship and many are quite interested in the progress of the activities.

When we look into the economic exchange performances between the New Port of Kochi and the Port of Tanjung Perak, over 20% of total import cargo handled at the New Port of Kochi is transported from the Port of Tanjung Perak. Judging from this, our two cities have built a strong economic tie.

We believe that the exchange of people and goods between the different culture will promote the creation of new values and new cultures as well as nourish the friendship of citizens of both sides, hence realizing peace in the world. The People of Kochi City would like to support and promote the exchange aetivities to bring success to the private based projects between us to be carried out from now on, in order to reflect the philosophy of our sister city relationship agreement: aiming at mutual development through active economic exchanges.

In order to realized our hopes and aims, the activities of ports of both cities are key elements to the success. It will not be an exaggeration that sea going vessels going to and from Kochi and Surabaya will take a key role for the improvement of the relationship between both cities. In this sense, I personally hope to see that both ports flourish and the friendship between the two cities will be deepened more than ever before.

Lastly, it is my sincere hope that the plenary session starting today will be the place where information and technologies will be exchanged among the participating ports so that they can be used to further improve the ports and their regions. May I conclude my speech by wishing that Surabaya City and all the members of INAP will flourish and develop in the future.

Thank you very much for your attention.