美国西部市长代表团访渝建言重庆城市发展

□ 文/本刊记者 李静

应美华友好协会邀请，5月29日至30日，美国西部城市市长代表团一行22人来渝进行友好访问。其中，加利福利亚州的圣莫妮卡市、内华达州的北拉斯维加斯市分别与重庆市合川区、江北区签署了建立友好城市关系意向合作书，期望未来双方在经济、文化等领域有更进一步的合作。

此次美国西部城市市长代表团成员来自加利福利亚州和内达华州等知名度较高的城市，包括拉斯维加斯、比弗利山、马里布、塔斯廷市等市长。短短两天时间，代表团一行参观了重庆史迪威博物馆、三峡博物馆，考察了江北区观音桥商圈及南滨路。第二天还乘坐了独具重庆特色的长江索道渡江，之后前往合川区进行参观访问。重庆市人大副主任张定宇会见了代表团一行，并见证了签约仪式，市政府外侨办主任助理王广成陪同并参加上述活动。

惊叹活力重庆 期待友城交流

紧凑而充实的重庆之行令市长们不得不惊叹这座城市的活力与生机，访渝期间，来自加利福利亚州的圣莫妮卡市市议员帕姆·奥康纳和来自内华达州的北拉斯维加斯市长约翰·李接受了本刊记者专访，畅谈他们的重庆之行。

作为美国加利福尼亚州洛杉矶县的海滨城市，圣莫妮卡市是众多世界知名企业所在地，还集中了像著名的暴雪工作室等大量游戏开发商，以及数百家高新技术新兴企业，享有“硅滩”美誉。议员帕姆·奥康纳告诉记者，近几年圣莫妮卡市着眼于与更多国家的城市结为友好城市，而现在刚好有了这样的新机遇。“重庆是一座充满活力的城市，而合川又拥有厚重的历史，这与我所在的城市十分相似，我们都非常尊重传统历史文化，两地对未来也有着长远规划和期待，我们希望此行能为两地的进一步合作，尤其是两地的年轻人之间搭建一个沟通交流的平台。”奥康纳说到。

第一次来到重庆，北拉斯维加斯市长约翰·李表现出了极大的热情，他表示：“重庆是一个充满诗意的存在。虽是一座3000多年的历史名城，却像刚破土而出的新笋一样充满活力！这里的交通体系系统地发展，还有在建的金融中心蓄势待发，是一座活力与能量具备的城市。”

因为交通便利，毗邻交通干线、铁路和两个机场，北拉斯维加斯为当地企业提供了通往加州、内华达州、犹他州等市场的便捷通道。北拉斯维加斯正迎来良好的发展时期，旅游、休闲正与历史、文化紧密结合，吸引越来越多的人来此居住、工作和旅游。作为市长，约翰·李认为，自己有责任领导这座城市与世界上其他在经济发展上有经验的城市展开技术合作。北拉斯维加斯市在旅游业方面发展已经非常成熟，他希望双方能在制造业领域展开合作，比如重庆企业可到北拉斯维加斯市投资建厂 ，使其成为重庆企业打开美国市场的窗口，同时也为北拉斯维加斯城市在制造业领域注入新的活力。

两个城市的代表们都表示，加强年轻一代的沟通交流非常有必要。在签署了建立友好城市关系意向合作书后，双方将在经济、文化等领域有更进一步的合作，尤其与重庆在高校教育间展开合作，如学术和人员间的交往，以及两地学生之间的交流互访。

建言城市建设

在谈到对重庆的城市建议时，两位代表都提出了自己独到的建议。奥康纳议员表示，重庆是一个多山的城市，因为地理位置特殊，在建设上会受到一些局限，政府在建设城市道路的同时，希望能为市民提供更多步行的空间。”帕姆·奥康纳称，她发现重庆的道路建设已非常成熟，但这只针对车行道路，相反，为行人提供的步行道路建设还有待提升。

她表示，这样的挑战对于任何一个国家都会存在，美国也同样面临这样的问题。在车行道和步行道的建设中还没有达到一个平衡点，能为不同的出行方式提供充足的空间。“我们也在不断改善，通过建立单独的自行车道和婴儿车道，或标记特殊用途车道与汽车道隔离，同时预留行人道，让其互不干扰。我很期待能与重庆市相关部门共同努力，寻找城市道路建设规划的最佳模式。”帕姆·奥康纳说。

约翰·李则表示，重庆应在提升城市知名度和国际性上更加努力。他认为，举办国际性会展来提升知名度是非常重要的。以北拉斯维加斯市为例，他们经常举办国际性的会展来吸引更多的人员，因为城市的地理位置，到此的飞行时间较长，参会人员通常都会在此至少待上2天，这对于刺激当地的旅游和提升城市知名度有很大帮助。他认为重庆可以借此经验，通过举办地方性的会展，吸引本国的其他城市来此参会，之后举办大型国际盛会来提升城市的国际性。

At the invitation of Sino-American Friendship Association,a 22-member delegation of mayors from western cities of the United States of America took a friendly visit to Chongqing during May 29-30.Among them,mayors from the city of Santa Monica,California and the city of north Las Vegas,Nevada,signed memorandums of understanding (MOUs) on cooperation and the building of sistercity relationship respectively with Hechuan District and Jiangbei District,for the purpose of further cooperation in the fields such as economy and culture in the coming future.

In this trip,all the members from the delegation are from cities with high popularity like California and Nevada in the west of America,including Las Vegas,Beverly Hills,Malibu,Tustin,etc.During the two-day stay,the delegation visited the Stilwell Museum and the Three Gorges Museum,and made inspection of Guanyinqiao Central Business District and Nanbin Road.The second day saw them cross the Yangtze River by the cableway with unique features of Chongqing and a visit to Hechuan.Zhang Dingyu,deputy director of the National People’s Congress of Chongqing Municipality,met with the delegation and witnessed the signing ceremony accompanied by Wang Guangcheng,deputy director of the Municipal Foreign and Overseas Chinese Affairs Office,who also attended the above activities.

Marveling at Chongqing’s Vitality and Expecting Communications between Sister Cities

Council Member of City Santa,Mrs.Monica Pam o' Connor

The mayors cannot but to marvel at the vigor and vitality of the city in this tight but colorful trip to Chongqing.During their visit to Chongqing,the senator Pam O’Connor from Santa Monica,California and John Lee,from North Las Vegas,Nevada,accepted our interview,sharing with us their trip to Chongqing.

Santa Monica,a coastal city of Los Angeles county in California,America,is home to many famous enterprises around the world,and also accumulates a large number of game developers,such as the famous Blizzard Studio as well as hundreds of emerging high-tech enterprises,enjoying a reputation of “silicon beach”.Senator Pam O’Connor told the reporter that,over recent years,the city of Santa Monica had been focusing on establishing friendly relationship with cities of more countries and now it meets with a new opportunity.“Chongqing is a vibrant city and Hechuan District boasts deep historical deposits,which is quite similar to my city.We both cherish traditional history and culture,and are in expectation of a long-term planning for the future.We look forward to further cooperation between the two cities and especially a communication platform being built through this visit for young people from both sides.”O’Connor said.

In his first visit to Chongqing,John Lee,the mayor of North Las Vegas,showed great enthusiasm and excitement.“Chongqing has a kind of poetic beauty and full of vigor like unearthed bamboo shoot yet in spite of its 3000 years’history.It is a city with the integration of vitality and energy as its traffic system develops systematically and financial centers under construction are on a fast track,”he said.

For North Las Vegas,adjacent to the arterial traffic lines,railway and two airports,its convenient transportation provides speedy passages for the markets of California,Nevada and Utah for local enterprises.It is ushering in a favorable period of development as tourism and entertainment industry are being connected closely with local history and culture,which attracts an increasing number of people to live,work and travel there.John Lee thought that,as a mayor,he himself was responsible for leading the city to start technical cooperation with other cities with rich experience of economic development.Since North Las Vegas has matured in terms of tourism development,he hoped that both sides could cooperate in the manufacturing.For example,the enterprises in Chongqing can invest to establish factories in North Las Vegas,which will serve as a window to open American market for them,and in turn,new vitality will be infused in the field of manufacturing for North Las Vegas city as well.

Representatives from the two cities agreed that it is necessary to strengthen communication among the young generation.Followed by signature of MOUs on cooperation the building of sister-city relationship,both sides will further cooperate in some fields such as economy and culture.More importantly,cooperation shall be launched in higher education by exchanges involving academics and personnel and reciprocal visits between students from both sides.

Suggestions for Urban Development

When it comes to urban development in Chongqing,both representatives put forward their own suggestions.The senator O’Connor suggested that walking space be provided sufficiently for citizens along with the expansion of road construction,for Chongqing is a mountainous city and it will confront with some limitations due to its special geographical location.She found that despite its matured road construction,it only serves vehicles;on the contrary,pedestrian walkway construction has yet remained to be promoted.

She added that every country would be confronted with such challenges and America is no exception.We yet failed to achieve a balance between the roadways and walkways construction providing enough space for different traffic ways.“We are unceasingly making improvements by setting up a separate bicycle lane and baby lane,or tagging special-purpose lanes to separate them from motorways,and meanwhile reserve a pedestrian way for noninterference with each other.I’m looking forward to working together with related departments of Chongqing Municipality to seek for the best model of urban road construction planning.”Pam O’Connor said.

John Lee said,Chongqing should make more endeavors in terms of promoting its awareness and internationalization.He further explained that it was of great significance to realize the former by holding international conferences and exhibitions.Taking the city North Las Vegas as an example,there are international conferences and exhibitions often held to attract more people who usually stay there at least for two days on account of the city’s geographic location,all of which gave stimulus to local tourism and helped enhance the city’s popularity.He suggested that Chongqing can draw on their experience,namely,holding local conferences and exhibitions to attract other cities’engagement,and then,holding large international events to expand Chongqing’s international influence.