Cluj-Napoca, Romania

A selection of historical views in Cluj-Napoca. [Photo/ningbo.gov.cn]

In April 2014, a sister-city relationship started between Ningbo in East China's Zhejiang province and Cluj-Napoca in Romania, a relationship that has really born fruit in the ensuing years.

Organized by the Romanian Consulate General in Shanghai, a Ningbo delegation visited the city – known by most as Cluj – and met with former Romanian prime minister and the city's mayor Emil Boc.

Both sides expressed their intention to establish ties of friendship and cooperation. Following the meeting, the mayor was invited to Ningbo to participate in the China Ningbo-Central and Eastern European Countries Economic, Trade and Cultural Exchange Week in June 2014.

During his June visit, Boc and Ningbo officials signed an agreement solidifying the friendly relations between the two cities.

Cluj-Napoca is a vital economic hub in Romania, known for its traditional industries such as winemaking and consumer goods production.

In recent years, the city has rapidly developed its high-tech sector, becoming Romania's largest hub for software and IT industries. This progress has attracted multinational giants like Nokia, Bosch, Emerson, and DeLonghi to establish operations there.