The
Little Rock City Board of Directors
has found a way to continue its relationship with Changchun, a city of about 9 million people in northeastern China,
despite a new state law banning Arkansas communities from having “sister city” relationships with Chinese cities.
The board voted on Tuesday to change the status of Little Rock’s relationship with Changchun from a “
sister city
” to a “friendship city” to comply with the law, which
Gov. Sarah Sanders
signed in this spring’s legislative session
as part of a so-called “Communist China Defense Package.”
It went into effect July 1. Along with prohibiting towns and cities in Arkansas from having Chinese sister cities, the law also bans public colleges and universities from housing “Chinese cultural centers” on their campuses.
According to a
memo
to the city board from Little Rock’s Sister Cities Commission, Little Rock would like to keep its relationship with Changchung while complying with the new law. “A friendship city relationship is less formal than that of a sister city and does not have to meet the standards of Sister Cities International,” the memo says.
The board voted without discussion Tuesday to adopt a resolution approving the “friendship” status. The measure amends the resolution that originally established Changchun as a sister city to Little Rock, adopted in April 1994.
“Changchun officials are aware of the new state law and the requirement to terminate the sister cities’ relationship,” city spokesman
Aaron Sadler
said, adding, “this transition was formalized by the Sister Cities Commission in June and by the Board on Tuesday.”
According to Wikipedia, Changchun is known as the “city of automobiles” in China. It is home to the FAW Group, the second largest of the Big Four state-owned car manufacturers in China. Flint, Michigan is a sister city with Changchun.
The relationship between the two cities has been centered around the Little Rock Marathon. Athletes from Changchun have participated in the marathon in the past. Sadler says, “there are no current plans for additional events or collaborations.”
In May, Sadler
said
Little Rock would be forced to end its 31-year relationship with Changchun to comply with the new law. Responding to what the new status means, Sadler told the
Arkansas Times
the new status “is less formal than a sister city relationship and the city would not have to meet the standards of Sister Cities International.”
Little Rock also has sister city relationships with cities including Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, England; Caxias do Sul, Brazil; and Hanam City in South Korea.
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