Guiyang and Palmy have been sister cities since 1992. A cooperation relationship between Massey University and Guizhou University dates back over 35 years, and Massey has ongoing environmental and agricultural collaboration with partners in Guizhou Province.
In 2017 Mayor Grant Smith led a city business delegation to Guiyang to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the relationship, and to advance closer economic and education cooperation.
UCOL has also established memorandums of understanding with the Guiyang Vocational and Technical Training College and Guiyang Nursing Vocational Training College, and Guiyang University. In 2017, UCOL and Palmerston North City Council announced a scholarship programme to attract students to study in Palmy.
Guiyang is the capital city of Guizhou province – situated on the east of the Yungui Plateau, and on the north bank of the Nanming River, a branch of the Wujiang River.
The city was first constructed as early as 1283AD.
The total population of Guiyang municipality is approximately 4.3 million, among which over 3 million are urban residents. Guiyang is populated by 23 different minorities, in addition to the majority ethnic Han.
In 2016, Guiyang was ranked top performing city in China by the Milken Institute and number one in China’s top 10 emerging cities by the Economist Intelligence Unit, due to its growth of jobs, wages, GRP, and FDI. It remains in the top three.
Guiyang is temperate and humid, and has a subtropical monsoon climate, with fairly mild winters and warm summers. Like Palmy, the seasons are not particularly distinct.
Common interests with Palmy
Agritech and agribusiness
Guizhou is an agricultural hub in southwest China, with some of the most fertile soil in the country. Palmy has a 35-plus year relationship of agricultural cooperation with the region through Massey University.
Education
Guiyang and Palmy have signed a letter of intent for cooperation on international education, research and training initiatives, and several MOUs between education providers have been established. A delegation of Palmy secondary schools also visited Guiyang in June 2018 to form new partnerships.
Environmental sustainability
Guiyang is a leading Chinese city in air quality and environmental sustainability, and host of the China Eco-Forum Global Annual conference.
Big data and technology
Guiyang is fast becoming a leading hub for big data in China, attracting funding from the central government for high-tech incubators and big data infrastructure.