In a landmark move signaling renewed commitment to cross-Pacific people-to-people and institutional cooperation, San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie launched a two-day official visit to Shanghai on Sunday, marking his first international trip since assuming office in January 2026. The visit centers on deepening the 46-year-old sister-city relationship between the two major global metropolises, a bond that has served as a cornerstone of China-U.S. local exchanges for decades.
Calling the choice to make Shanghai his first overseas destination deliberate, Lurie framed the visit as a defining milestone for his new administration. “This decision reflects the priority I place on this relationship and the deep respect I have for the Chinese-American community in San Francisco,” he told attendees at a sister-city reception during his stay.
Leading a cross-sector delegation focused on advancing tourism, cultural exchange and partnership building, Lurie oversaw the signing of multiple memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with leading Shanghai-based cultural, educational and scientific institutions. The San Francisco delegation toured key local sites including the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, Shanghai Natural History Museum, and Shanghai Grand Opera House, with four formal partnership agreements sealed across these institutions.
On Monday, Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng held an official meeting with Lurie, where the two sides signed a new round of cooperation MOUs and outlined shared priorities for future collaboration. Gong emphasized that the newly signed agreements should serve as a fresh starting point to expand deeper joint work across trade and investment, urban governance, and cultural and artistic exchanges. He also encouraged leading enterprises from both cities to expand their market presence in each other’s jurisdictions to drive mutual economic benefit.
For his part, Lurie articulated shared expectations for closer collaboration across a wide range of priority areas, including technological innovation, climate governance, sustainable development, urban management, culture, tourism, and grassroots people-to-people exchanges. “We are building on that foundation and investing in a future where science, education and sustainability remain at the center of our partnership,” Lurie said. “For us, this isn’t just about diplomacy. It’s about family, history and the neighborhoods that make our city what it is.”
Cultural and artistic exchange emerged as a core highlight of the visit, with new agreements set to expand creative ties between the two cities. During a stop at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, Lurie noted that the San Francisco Conservatory of Music has already hosted hundreds of Chinese students over the years, nurturing lasting creative connections between young artists on both sides. He expressed hope that San Francisco students traveling to Shanghai would build similarly enduring personal and professional bonds.
A new partnership with the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum will clear the way for a major Chinese dinosaur exhibition to tour San Francisco. Additionally, the San Francisco Ballet has been scheduled to perform at the China Shanghai International Arts Festival in 2027, bringing one of the U.S.’s leading dance companies to Chinese audiences.
David Stull, president of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, emphasized the unique power of artistic collaboration to bridge cultural divides. “Music is a universal language. Young musicians will lose track of where they’re from and what language they speak because the only language they’re focused on is music,” Stull said, adding that both cities share a common “spirit of imagination, innovation and the future.”
Tourism also remains a critical pillar of the bilateral sister-city relationship. Mike Nakornkhet, director of San Francisco International Airport, reported that annual passenger traffic between China and San Francisco rebounded to 700,000 last year, with 23 weekly flights connecting the city to four major Chinese destinations. Ongoing expansion of air connectivity is expected to further boost people-to-people exchanges in the coming years.
Lurie summed up the visit by noting that the agreements signed during the trip represent a formal shared commitment to advance ongoing collaboration across culture, the arts, sports, and youth exchanges. The new partnership framework is built on a foundation of mutual respect and recognition of the complementary strengths of both cities. “San Francisco is the home of technology alongside arts and culture,” Lurie said. “The world looks at San Francisco as the global hub of innovation and technology. I know Shanghai is also cutting-edge, and we look forward to continuing these partnerships for many more decades to come.”