Chongqing - Seattle, Chongqing's first sister city in the United States, received the Friendship City Award for Outstanding Partnership with China at the 2026 China International Friendship Cities Conference in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, on Oct. 22. The two cities established sister-city ties in 1983 and have since worked together on projects including the Seattle Chinese Garden.

Seattle Deputy Mayor Brian Surratt accepted the award on behalf of Mayor Katie Wilson and also spoke at the conference's closing ceremony. Seattle was nominated for the award by Chongqing.

Brian Surratt at the ceremony where Seattle received the Friendship City Award for Outstanding Partnership with China. (Photo: The Foreign Affairs Office of the Chongqing Municipal People's Government)

Held from Oct. 20 to 22, the conference brought together more than 700 participants from 61 countries. It was jointly hosted by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, the China International Friendship Cities Association and the Shaanxi Provincial People's Government. Forty foreign provinces, states and cities received the Friendship City Award for Outstanding Partnership with China.

Zhou Yi, deputy director of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Chongqing Municipal People's Government, also attended the conference.

Brian Surratt and Zhou Yi pose for a group photo with other attendees after the award ceremony. (Photo: The Foreign Affairs Office of the Chongqing Municipal People's Government)

"Our sister-city relationship is more than a government agreement. It comes to life when a student discovers a new culture, when artists share their talents, and when people who are thousands of miles apart discover how much they have in common," Surratt said. He added that cities could preserve their distinct identities while learning from one another and working together.

Chongqing and Seattle established sister-city ties in 1983. Plans for the Seattle Chinese Garden took shape in the early years of their partnership, and the Seattle Chinese Garden Society was established in 1989 to advance the project. The garden was conceived as a lasting symbol of the sister-city relationship and a place for local communities to experience Chinese architecture and culture.

Brian Surratt speaks at the closing ceremony of the 2026 China International Friendship Cities Conference in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province. (Photo: The Foreign Affairs Office of the Chongqing Municipal People's Government)

Located at South Seattle College, the garden, also known as Xihua Garden, was designed and built with the involvement of architects and artisans from Chongqing. Its architecture and landscaping reflect the traditional Sichuan garden style, which shares historical and cultural roots with Chongqing.

Construction began in 1999. Completed features include the Knowing the Spring Courtyard and the Chongqing Entry Gatehouse. The garden is open to visitors and hosts cultural events, offering local communities a place to experience Chinese traditions.

The garden's role extends beyond its architecture. It has provided a venue for cultural celebrations and community gatherings while helping maintain connections between organizations in Seattle and Chongqing.

In May 2026, representatives of the Seattle Chinese Garden and Chief Sealth International High School visited Chongqing Nankai Secondary School. During the visit, Chongqing Nankai Secondary School proposed expanding exchanges with schools in Seattle, including potential cooperation in garden culture, environmental protection and STEM education. The Seattle delegation also expressed interest in resuming regular student and teacher visits.

In June 2026, the Seattle Chinese Garden announced the next phase of its construction plan, including a Chongqing Tower, a scholar's studio and a lotus pond. The planned phase has an estimated cost of 16.2 million U.S. dollars, with funding pledges and in-kind support from the city of Seattle, Washington state, private donors and Chongqing.

Cooperation between Seattle and Chongqing has also covered trade, education, arts, medicine and science. The Seattle-Chongqing Sister City Association has organized more than 200 exchanges since the relationship began in 1983, according to the Seattle city government.

Surratt said he hoped the two cities would continue sharing their cultures and deepening mutual understanding. "A garden takes time to grow. So does a friendship between cities. Both flourish when people tend to them with patience, generosity, and care," he said.