Sister city since: October 27, 1986

Overview

Manchester is located at the center of the Great Plains in northwest England and is a metropolitan borough in the Greater Manchester Region. Manchester was the world’s first modern industrial city. Today as the second largest economy in the UK, Manchester has the largest regional financial and professional services industry in the country, a thriving innovation-driven digital and tech sector and the largest clinical academic campus in Europe. The city is home to four universities with 101,000 students, and is rated as Europe’s most competitive city for business.

Manchester has a full-fledged transport system. It has the largest commuter area of any conurbation in the UK outside of London. Manchester is home to UK’s largest regional international airport, connecting over 200 cities in the world. The city is centrally located, meaning that 60% of all UK consumers live within a two-hour drive of Manchester. Manchester has more theaters than any other regional city, as well as a rich football heritage with both Manchester City and Manchester United based here.

Relations with Wuhan

The past years have witnessed fruitful cooperation in such areas as government exchanges, economy and trade, culture, environmental protection, sustainable development, education and sports. Faced with the Covid-19 pandemic, the two cities offered each other assistance, exchanged regards, provided medical supplies and shared experience in epidemic response. Wuhan and Manchester have hosted various online events, setting a good example for sister city cooperation in the context of Covid-19.

High-level visits

In June 2021, the two cities held an online event to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the establishment of sister city relations. Leaders from both sides signed theFriendly Exchange and Cooperation Action Plan Between Manchester and Wuhan 2021-2023.

Sustainable Development

In November 2020, the British Consulate-General in Wuhan, Manchester City Council and Wuhan Municipal Urban Construction Bureau jointly held Wuhan-Manchester Sponge City & Green Growth Project Webinar, in a bid to promote pragmatic cooperation in sponge city and climate change. In February 2022, Wuhan FAO, together with the British Consulate-General in Wuhan and Manchester City Council jointly held Wuhan-Manchester Sponge City Digital Webinar. Representatives from Hubei FAO, Wuhan Municipal Bureau of Urban Construction, Wuhan Municipal Development and Reform Commission, Wuhan Municipal Water Affairs Authority, Wuhan Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau and Wuhan University attended the seminar, exchanging views on sponge city cooperation with heads of relevant departments, experts and scholars of Manchester and Salford municipal governments, and project partners from other countries including Poland, Spain, France, Italy and Croatia.

Education

In June 2020, Manchester Metropolitan Joint Institute, Hubei University was established. In October 2021, the unveiling and opening ceremony of this institute was held, kicking off the enrollment of students.

Culture

In October 2020, Councilor and Lord Mayor of Manchester Abid Latif Chohan and the local band Breath recorded a video to celebrate the Qintai Music Festival. In December 2020, the British Consulate-General in Wuhan, Manchester City Council and Wuhan Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism held the Wuhan-Manchester Cultural and Tourism Exchange Seminar to further the practical cooperation in culture and tourism.

Sports

The Manchester swimming team participated in the Wuhan International River Crossing Festival for three consecutive years from 2017 to 2019.

Business

In November 2017, Ms. Sue Murphy, Deputy Speaker of Manchester City Council led a business delegation to Wuhan and participated in the investment promotion event of Fortune 500 and world-renowned foreign companies.

Police Affairs

From November 11 to 25, 2019, Wuhan Municipal Public Security Bureau hosted the China-UK Police Exchange Seminar, which was attended by 13 police officers from Greater Manchester, Avon, Somerset Regions and Manchester City.