On September 23, Henan Province of China and the State of Kansas of the United States held an online event to commemorate the 40th anniversary of sister relationship. Henan Governor Wang Kai and Kansas Governor Laura Kelly attended the celebration and delivered speeches, and signed the 40th Anniversary Memorandum of Understanding on the establishment of sister province-state relationship on behalf of Henan Provincial Government and Kansas State Government. Zhao Jian, Chinese consul general in Chicago, and Nikolas Trendowski, acting consul general of the United States in Wuhan, were invited to attend the event and delivered speeches. He Jinping, vice governor of Henan Province, and David Toland, lieutenant governor of Kansas, exchanged souvenirs online.
In his speech, Wang Kai acknowledged the achievements of Henan and Kansas collaboration in various fields over the past 40 years, expressed appreciation for the profound friendship of Kansas State Government and people, and made specific suggestions on promoting friendly relations between the two sides to a higher level and wider areas.
Laura Kelly thanked Henan for the friendship and assistance to Kansas over the past four decades, and expressed appreciation for Henan’s achievements in fighting COVID-19 and promoting economic and social development. She hopes to take the opportunity of signing the MOU on the establishment of sister state relationship to further deepen exchanges and cooperation with Henan, expand collaboration results and enhance friendship.
At the commemorative event, the 40th anniversary commemoration video entitled Everlasting Friendship, Shared Future jointly produced by Henan and Kansas were played, along with online remarks from 9 friendly people from both sides like John Carlin, Former Archivist of the United States and former governor of Kansas.
More than 50 people attended the event, including Former Archivist of the United States and Former Governor of Kansas John Carlin, Former Governor of Kansas Mike Hayden, Former U.S. Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Former Governor of Kansas Kathleen Sebelius, President of US. Heartland–China Association and Former Missouri Governor Bob Holden, Former Director-General of the Foreign Affairs Office of the People’s Government of Henan Province Feng Yongchen and other friendly persons from relevant governmental departments, universities, business associations and business leaders of the two sides.
