The ICMA China Center has taken significant steps toward achieving its goal of establishing collaborative relationships between ICMA and institutions in China to facilitate training and exchange opportunities for municipal managers in both countries. Most recently, ICMA Executive Director Bob O’Neill visited China to meet with state, municipal, and educational officials.

A primary purpose of the visit was to advance ICMA’s application to the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs (SAFEA) to become an approved overseas provider of training for Chinese local government officials. O’Neill met with SAFEA representatives to discuss ICMA’s qualifications and clarify the next steps of the registration process.

In Beijing, he met with the president of the China University of Political Science and Law (CUPL), ICMA’s partner in the ICMA China Center, and made a well-received presentation to faculty and students. In addition, O’Neill had a series of meetings to expand ICMA’s cooperative relationships with other key organizations such as the National Academy for Mayors of China (NAMC) and the China Center for Urban Development (CCUD) and discussed joint training opportunities. Several of these meetings were covered in the Chinese media.

O'Neill also met with officials in Yangzhou City, which will host a meeting of the ICMA International Committee and ICMA’s first International Regional Summit in May 2014. Yangzhou vice mayor Madame Qi Xiaoxia addressed the opening session of the ICMA conference in Boston on September 22. The International Committee meeting in Yangzhou will be the anchor for a China study tour for ICMA members that combines educational, cultural, and tourism opportunities.

Thanks to a fortunate coincidence of timing,  O’Neill and ICMA Director of New Initiatives Judit Deilinger were able to participate in an orientation for Chinese professionals who were about to leave China for their U.S. visits as part of the current Legislative Process and Governance Professional Fellows program.

Reflecting on his visit, O’Neill said: “I am pleased to have had this opportunity to advance ICMA’s collaborative relationships with individuals and organizations in China. China’s experience managing rapid urbanization can provide lessons for U.S. cities, and we can offer lessons in return, thanks to our country’s long tradition of professional local government management.”

Other recent China Center activities included a visit last summer by International Committee chair Clay Pearson and committee member Bill Monahan to deliver training and foster relationships with Chinese undergraduates and more than 150 municipal government officials in Qingdao and Yangzhou during a two-week-long mentoring trip facilitated by the Center.

The ICMA China Center was established in 2011 as a partnership between ICMA and CUPL and is based on the CUPL campus in Beijing. The original framework agreement between the organizations was approved by the government of China through the Ministry of Education. An early accomplishment was the Center’s acceptance the next year into the EcoPartnerships program of the U.S. Department of State, joining 17 other partnerships in this prestigious, competitive program.

To learn more, visit the ICMA’s international website, the China page, and the “International Development” topic area in the Knowledge Network, or email international@icma.org.