HISTORY OF THE RIVERSIDE-JIANGMEN FRIENDSHIP CITIES PROGRAM

Jiangmen expressed the desire to have Riverside be its American Friendship City in 1994. The request was delivered personally by Dr. John Jang, a member of the World Affairs Council board and a professor at University of La Verne. He came from Jiangmen to the United States at age 15, but continues to have many ties to Jiangmen and visits there often. There followed an exchange of delegations and programs:

JANUARY 1996
A Riverside area delegation including people in government, business, education and culture visited Jiangmen. In the group were representatives of the City of Riverside, Riverside Community College, University of California, Riverside, the Mission Inn, schools in the Inland Empire Consortium for International Studies (Riverside and San Bernardino County Schools) and World Affairs Council of Inland Southern California. Some members of the group also belonged to the International Relations Council. Honorary chairmen of the inaugural delegation were Kelly and Duane R. Roberts; chairwoman was Marylin Jacobsen; and liaison to China was Dr. John Jang. In addition to a full schedule of visits to business enterprises, schools, Wuyi University and citrus-growing areas, the delegation toured the Memorial to the Flying Tigers.

APRIL 1996
Jiangmen sent a delegation of four to the Orange Blossom Festival. The Chinese officials rode in the parade, met with the President of Sunkist, Russ Hanlin, toured the University of California, Riverside, Riverside Community College, high schools, the March Field Museum (to view a replica of the Flying Tigers P-40) and a number of businesses and industries. The visitors were greeted at the City Council and agreements signed to pursue the development of the Friendship City. Riverside Community College and UC Riverside signed agreements with Wuyi University of Jiangmen.

MAY 1997
Mayor Ronald O. Loveridge led a delegation to Jiangmen to expand areas of cooperation and sign the formal documents to officially establish the Friendship City relationship. (The agreement was approved by the Chinese foreign office of city-to-city affairs in Beijing.) City government, business, the Riverside Municipal Museum and International Relations Council members were in the group. Among matters discussed were developing international business and trade, cooperation in education programs and exchanges, tourism, museum cooperative programs and furthering Friendship City connections. Mayor Loveridge invited the City of Jiangmen to send a delegation to participate in the 1998 Orange Blossom Festival and have discussions with businesses wishing to trade with Jiangmen.

JULY 1997
Sixteen Inland Empire educators took part in a three-week study tour in China, beginning with one week in Jiangmen. Peg Hill, director of the Inland Empire Consortium for International Studies, led the group. Dr. Lanny Fields of California State University, San Bernardino, was a resource professor on the trip. The teachers and museum officials taking part developed lessons and exchange projects based on their experiences in China. To visit the "Virtual Tour of China" go to http://www.rims.k12.ca.us/china/

APRIL 1998
Jiangmen sent an eight-person Friendship City delegation to attend the Orange Blossom Festival. The group rode in the Festival Parade in a horse-drawn trolley, a replica of a trolley of the 1890s. On April 21, the delegation was presented to the City Council by Mayor Loveridge. The visit was a historic time, a century after the first Chinese came to Riverside - from Jiangmen, the citrus capital of China - to help early Riverside orange growers plant and care for groves. An extensive series of appointments was planned with potential business and trade partners as well as organizations and institutions, which already have signed agreements for cooperation. To see highlights of the Jiangmen visit, go to: http://www.rims.k12.ca.us/china/

JULY AND AUGUST 1998
Twelve educators from Jiangmen visited Riverside and spent six weeks in the International Professional Program at UC Riverside Extension. The educators, all teachers of English as a Second Language, took part in seminars, classes and discussions about the teaching of English and toured schools in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. During this visit, the idea of "sister schools" was originated. For details, see http://www.rims.k12.ca.us/china/

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