My fellow San Franciscans,
We know that San Francisco is more than a world-class destination, and our City is a global partner to cities around the world. We are the gateway to the Asia Pacific and home to the oldest Chinatown in the United States, and the AI capital of the world.
Last November, San Francisco successfully hosted APEC when leaders and delegations from 21 member economies by providing a platform for them to discuss issues that these leaders care about, and further strengthening people to people exchanges among so many places from around the world.
APEC was a big moment for our City as we showcased the best of our city and community. As San Francisco is moving forward, we must continue to build on that commitment to collaborations to pave the way for more opportunities that benefit our residents and merchants.
That’s why I was honored to lead a diverse group of delegation which represents sectors like tourism, arts and culture, tech and business to visit cities in the People’s Republic of China including Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Beijing and Shanghai. We were grateful to have had to opportunities to exchange ideas and make connections with local officials, community and business leaders.
Spending time in these cities also revealed many of our shared goals of and values of innovation, business and economic strength. My hope for this trip is to reemphasize the importance of creating strong partnerships around the world that will yield both cultural connections and economic opportunities.
I am thrilled that San Francisco Zoo has been selected to receive Giant Pandas as part of China’s Panda Diplomacy program.
We have been working closely with our local API community to advocate for pandas nearly a year ago leading up to APEC in November, and it’s an honor that our City has been chosen for the first time to be a long-term home for Giant Pandas. San Francisco is an international destination and the gateway to the Asia Pacific – having pandas here will strengthen our already deep cultural connection and honors our Chinese and API heritage that is core to San Francisco’s history. We are ready to welcome visitors from all over the world to our beautiful zoo. This is a momentous opportunity that I am grateful for, I know I join so many who can’t wait to see them in San Francisco.
This visit represents a monumental opportunity for San Francisco to stimulate economic growth, expand the City’s tourism market, and bolster diplomatic relations and cultural ties across the region in China, with a goal of bringing new businesses and industry to San Francisco’s Downtown neighborhoods and across the City, including Chinatown, Richmond, the Sunset and Visitacion Valley.
Please add me on WeChat for updates and resources: londonbreed.
Sincerely,
London N. Breed
Mayor
