SHANGHAI Mayor Ying Yong met his counterpart from Gothenburg, Sweden, Ann-Sofie Hermansson, on Wednesday and both oversaw the signing of a three-year cooperation agreement between the two cities.

Ying said Sweden is one of the first European countries to establish diplomatic relationship with the People’s Republic of China. The two countries deepened their ties in recent years. Shanghai and Gothenburg have cooperated extensively in trade, port construction, shipping, science and technology, education and other areas since they became sister cities in 2003.

He said Shanghai and Gothenburg are sister ports. SAIC and Volvo have a bus-making joint venture. The voyage to Shanghai by the reconstructed ship East Indiaman Gotheborg III, and various cooperative projects have strengthened ties between the two cities.