Cr Lyons signed the agreement with Party Secretary of Haimen City, Mr Jiang Long.

The mayor visited with the city with Bendigo chief executive officer Craig Niemann.

He invited representatives from Haimen City to visit Bendigo for next year’s Easter Festival where the agreement will be finalised.

Cr Lyons said the signing was an important step in formalising a relationship with Haimen.

“In signing, we are giving in-principle support to setting up a relationship based on promoting education, culture, economic and trade links between Greater Bendigo and Haimen,” he said.

Haimen has a population of 1.1 million people and is located in Jiangsu Province in China’s east.

The city has strong links with Bendigo through existing school exchange programs.

Mr Niemann said he and Cr Lyons have also been given an insight into the future planning of Haimen, including its residential and industrial/commercial areas.

“There are currently two bridge crossings of the Yangtze River and two more are planned. This connects directly with Shanghai. They are also building a major sea port to the Yellow Sea which will provide Haimen with direct access to world markets for freight,” he said.

The delegation will tour schools in Haimen where Bendigo South East students are visiting.