Sulaymaniyah and China’s Yiwu Become Sister Cities

PUKMEDIA

Sulaymaniyah and Yiwu Become Sister Cities.

On Wednesday, 12 November 2025, a twinning agreement was signed between the city of Sulaymaniyah and the Chinese city of Yiwu. The agreement marks a significant milestone in strengthening Sulaymaniyah’s international relations and expanding its role as a gateway for economic development within the Kurdistan Region and Iraq.

A delegation from Sulaymaniyah Governorate, led by Governor Dr Haval Abubakr, visited Yiwu in the People’s Republic of China, where the agreement was signed in the presence of the Mayor of Yiwu and representatives from the city’s municipality.

The partnership outlines frameworks for cooperation across a range of sectors, including higher education, trade, agriculture, tourism, heritage, and technology. It will also foster cultural exchange and is expected to build stronger links between the University of Sulaymaniyah and other universities in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq, and their counterparts in China.

Ambassador Dr Mohammed Sabir, Chairman of the President Jalal Talabani Foundation, played a key role in facilitating the agreement between the two cities, alongside Ambassador Shorsh Khalid Saeed, Head of the Sulaymaniyah Chamber of Commerce, and representatives from various companies and business communities.

Yiwu is a county-level city in Zhejiang Province, China, under the jurisdiction of the prefecture-level city of Jinhua. Located in the central part of the province, it covers around 1,105 km². In recent years Yiwu’s permanent resident population has risen to about 1.90 million (as of end-2023). The city is globally recognised as a major centre for the wholesale trade of small commodities, and while it attracts business visitors and tourists alike, its primary role is as a dynamic commercial hub rather than a purely tourist city.



PUKMEDIA