What are your expectations for the agreement?
We'll begin by collaborating within education and technology exchanges in general with special focus on environmental technology, urban design and tourism. It's all aimed at creating innovative cooperation and stimulating development in both cities.

 
What opportunities do you foresee the agreement bringing to trade and industry?
The export office in Xindu will be working actively with ITM Worldwide Foundation in Lidköping to create a business platform for companies in both of the regions. A plan covering joint activities was set up on August 12 in connection with a visit to Lidköping by a new delegation from Xindu. The plan consists of four concrete subsidiary activities.

1. We shall offer a joint export sales program for Swedish sub suppliers to the Chinese automotive industry in Chengdu.

2. We will provide a similar program for Chinese companies that wish to test entry into the Scandinavian market with their products.

3. We will start a special environmental technology program with a business development based on creating new value from Chinese and Swedish environmental technology, and the planning and construction of sustainable cities.

4. As a first concrete step Xindu will station an export representative at ITM Worldwide Foundation in Lidköping, and Lidköping will locate a representative at the Nordic International Management Institute in Xindu.

Does Lidköping have any other city twinning agreements?
Lidköping has industrial partnership agreements with Rockford, Illinois in the USA and Kecskemet in southwest Hungary.
 
Do you have positive experiences from this kind of collaboration?
Our activities in Rockford and Kecskemet have given rise to a number of joint initiatives such as the International Bioenergy Days that alternate between the USA and Sweden and the Swedish-Hungarian Enterprise Days with a focus on the car industries in each country. Within a short space of time we have seen several new business development collaborations created through such international business platforms. Xindu provides us with the opportunity to gain a foothold in one of the world's fastest growing regions.