Editor’s Note: In recent years, Nanjing has been constantly expanding its overseas "friend circle" and has fostered friendship with 101 cities. In order to fully demonstrate the unique culture of each sister city and present their compelling stories, Foreign Affairs Office of Nanjing Municipal People’s Government and Nanjing Daily jointly launch the column "Sister Cities of Nanjing", telling the stories and displaying achievements of the exchange between Nanjing and each sister city. In this way, it can provide opportunity for more people to appreciate the charm of Nanjing’s “friend circle”, and contribute to building Nanjing as the Center City for International Exchanges.
Standing in front of the Brunei Darussalam Maritime Museum in Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital of Brunei, and viewing the gentle flow of Brunei River, one can still recall the prosperity of this trading city where there were countless merchant ships shuttling in the river. Yang Xinhua, Vice President of China Ancient Capital Association and Director of China and Brunei History and Culture Research Center, has been to Brunei for five times. He is impressed by the country's natural scenery, history, culture, national conditions and folk-customs, etc. He has also visited the Southern Song Dynasty tombstone and the Jalan Ong Sum Ping in Bandar Seri Begawan. Yang said that those historical relics, including the Jalan Ong Sum Ping in Brunei’s Bandar Seri Begawan and the Tomb of the King of Boni in China’s Nanjing city bear witness to the long history of friendly interactions between the two countries.
The connection between Nanjing and Bandar Seri Begawan originates from 1408, when Abdul Majid Hassan, the King of Boni (now it is called Brunei) visited China in Ming Dynasty, during which he unfortunately died of illness and was buried in Nanjing as he wished to be interred in China. The Tomb of the King of Boni was not discovered until the year of 1958. After investigation and examination by the experts, the dust-laden relic was finally unveiled to the public, which attracted great interest at home and abroad. It is now located at the southern foothills of Tortoise Mountain (Guishan) in Yuhuatai District of Nanjing, and is listed as a major historical cultural site protected at the national level.
Bandar Seri Begawan is the commercial, political, cultural and educational center of Brunei. Since it was officially renamed in 1970, Bandar Seri Begawan has been developing rapidly, and the city has been showing a thriving scene as new buildings are springing up and road network is expanding. Roads in the city connect all parts of the country. Sea transportation is available to Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok, etc. There are many schools in the city such as Chung Hwa Middle School, founded in 1922, which is the largest Chinese-language school in Brunei, and Brunei Normal School, established in 1956, and other institutions of higher learning.
Brunei responded actively to and has been firmly supporting the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The two countries have signed the Memorandum of Understanding to build synergy between the BRI and Brunei's Vision 2035, bringing fresh impetus to the bilateral relations. As sister cities, Nanjing and Bandar Seri Begawan have enjoyed frequent exchanges. The friendship between the two peoples has thrived with new dynamism.
The year of 2021 marked the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Brunei, and the 10th anniversary of the establishment of sister-city relations between Nanjing and Bandar Seri Begawan. In December 2021, the celebration was held in Nanjing. All-Nanjing Sports Federation and Brunei Wushu Federation, China International Travel Service (Jiangsu Office) and Brunei-China Friendship Association, Nanjing Yuhua Foreign Language Primary School and Chung Hwa Middle School in Brunei, Jiangsu Zhongkun Chuangjia Ltd. and Brunei-China Friendship Association respectively signed memorandums of cooperation and thus promoting exchanges and cooperation between the two cities in the fields of sports, tourism, education and e-commerce. In addition, Foreign Affairs Office of Nanjing Municipal People’s Government organizes batches of students in universities, middle schools and elementary schools to visit the Memorial Park of the King of Boni. These young students drew beautiful paintings on the theme of “Brunei and Nanjing in my eyes” and 50 pieces of them were selected to the friendship album.
Sister City Links>>>
Bandar Seri Begawan is one of Nanjing’s friends along the Belt and Road. In November 2011, the two cities officially established sister city relations, and are the only pair of sister cities between the two countries so far. In November 2018, under the witness of President Xi Jinping, the two cities renewed their sister city agreement, which was included in the Joint Statement between the People's Republic of China and Brunei Darussalam. Nanjing has made a lot of efforts in developing sister cities, promoting economic, trade and cultural exchanges, and encouraging enterprises go global to explore international markets. In the future, Nanjing will continue to work hand in hand with Bandar Seri Begawan in the new era and make efforts to build a model of friendship and interaction between cities along the Belt and Road.
