“The Chiang Mai-Chengdu Sister Cities Research Center” Opened at Chiang Mai University
24 December 2018
Corporate Communication and Alumni Relations Center (CCARC)
On December 16, 2018, 10.10 am, Mr. Luo Qiang, Deputy Secretary of Chinese Communist Party Chengdu Municipal Committee and Mayor of Chengdu Municipal People's Government and his delegates, Professor Wang Qingyuan, President of Chengdu University (CDU) and CU’s senior administrators, Mr. Supachai Iamsuwan, Governor of Chiang Mai Province, Mr. Vithit Powattanasuk, Consul-General from Royal Thai Consulate-General in Chengdu, P.R. China, Mme. Pan Jin, Vice Consul, the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Chiang Mai together with Clinical Professor Niwes Nantachit, M.D., President of Chiang Mai University (CMU) and CMU’s senior administrators visited CMU’s International College of Digital Innvation (ICDI) to attend the Agreement signing ceremony between CMU and CDU on the establishment of “Chiang Mai-Chengdu Sister Cities Research Center”.
The Centers have the following objectives: 1) to be the center of research and meetings on cross-border E-commerce along with the One Belt One Road Initiative, 2) to collaborate on the Joint Master Degree program between CMU and CDU, focusing on cross-border E-commerce research, 3) to collaborate on the Joint PhD Degree program between CMU and CDU, focusing on cross-border E-commerce research, 4) to collaborate together on governmental cross-border E-commerce projects, and 5) to enhance the parties’ staff development.
On March 30, 2015, the “Sister City” agreement between Chengdu and Chiang Mai was officially signed leading to a very challenging partnership between the two big cities The establishment of a Sister City has made the cooperation in various areas more convenient. At present, the government and private sectors of Chiang Mai realize the importance of developing relations with Chengdu in many areas, especially in international trade. Chiang Mai also has a strategic direction that is in line with the Thailand 4.0, in becoming a ‘Tourism and Health Hub’, as well as the development of ‘Chiang Mai Smart City’. To make these developing trends successful, it is imperative to utilize accurate and up-to-date academic knowledge. Thus, this is another key role that universities are required to play to enable the growth of communities and cities.
Both Chengdu and Chiang Mai are cities with high economic growth prospects, yet they also need knowledge-based preparation and management. “The Chiang Mai-Chengdu Sister Cities Research Center” officially opened at the International College of Digital Innovation at Chiang Mai University today will play an important role in promoting academic cooperation and providing an academic mechanism that will support the sustainable growth of both cities.