The Full History - Since 1985

History of the Portland-Suzhou Sister City Association

Compiled by Jeffrey Kinkley (former PSSCA Secretary)

Republished February 2019

It all started with a relationship and mutual exchange.

March 1985

David Wu (Wu Zhenwei吴振伟), an attorney at the firm of Miller Nash who will come to serve as a Portland Planning Commissioner (1986-1989) and later represent Oregon’s First District in the US Congress (1999-2011), born in Taiwan of Suzhou parents who completed their emigration to the US in 1961, introduces the idea of a sister city relationship with Portland to Suzhou authorities in a letter of March 5. Other early leaders in the search for a Chinese sister city are John E. “Bud” Clark, Mayor of Portland (1985-1992); Mike Lindberg, Portland City Commissioner (1979-1996); Patrick LaCrosse, Director of the Portland Development Commission (1981-1994); and Dr. Joseph Ha, a Korean American and Nike consultant for global business (1981-1996; subsequently chair of Lewis and Clark University’s International Affairs program) who also assists Mayor Clark’s successful initiatives to establish sister city relations with South Korea (Ulsan, 1987) and the USSR/Russia (Khabarovsk, November 1988). …

Click Link to History to read the full story.

2018 Oregon-China Conference on Culture, Language, and Business.

As long time partners with the Confucius Institute we are proud that two of our PSSCA Board Members will be presenting special topics.

Jeffrey Kinkley, PSSCA: SecretaryPresenting in a language panel discussion on fiction and film as resources for teaching modern Chinese history along with Desmond Cheung, Assistant Professor of History at Portland State University (PSU). Jeffrey is a Courtesy Professor of History also at PSU.

Adam Carpenter, PSSCA: MarketingPresenting in a business panel and presenting topic titled: "Coffee, Cash & Communism: Relating firsthand stories working in and with China since 2004." Adam works in Business Development and Marketing at Matisse Capital.

Oregon-China Conference on Culture, Language, and Business

The Confucius Institute at Portland State University (CIPSU) is delighted to invite you to the 2018 Oregon-China International Conference on Culture, Language, and Business held on Thursday, September 13, 2018. This collaborative project among CIPSU, WorldOregon, the Oregon Department of Education, Northwest China Council, and Institute for Asian Studies at PSU brings together educators, business leaders, students, and members of the general public and covers the following topics:

• Cultural Studies

• Language Education

• International Business

​In addition, this event is an opportunity for those interested in learning more about Confucius Institute programming, sharing experiences of their partnerships with China, and exploring best practices and opportunities in Confucius Classrooms.

Keynote Speakers

Dr. Mel Gurtov, Professor Emeritus of Political Science at Portland State University Mr. Derrick Olsen, President of WorldOregon

30th Anniversary PSSCA Gala in Partnership with Lan Su Chinese Garden

"An Enchanted Evening Under the Stars"

The 2018 Evening Under the Stars Gala marks the 30th anniversary of Portland and Suzhou sister city friendship. It is the culmination of weekend-long festivities that encompassed sister city friendship tree planting ceremony, photo exhibit at the City Hall and Suzhou Chinese Orchestra performances at PSU’s Lincoln Hall.

We kicked off this year’s Gala with the Lee Association Dragon and Lion Dance led by Terry Lee. For the first time in PSSCA Gala history, the entertainment program featured prominent artists from both Suzhou and Portland.  As the 2018 Gala Chair, the highlight of the entertainment program is the process of producing and presenting a variety of high quality performances with seamless delivery. Our distinguished guests from both cities were treated to a visual and auditory feast that embodied the integration and unity of East and West cultural elements: a beautiful melody of Kunqu Opera from the Peony Pavilion by a famed master from Suzhou juxtaposed with heart-warming arias of Puccini and Verdi sang by Portland Opera stars; Suzhou Chinese Orchestra musicians whose skillful performance on traditional Chinese musical instruments - Pipa and Guzheng - enchanted our audience while BodyVox dancers morphed their physical beauty with that of natural setting at Lan Su Garden.

I continue to be amazed at how we managed to pull off a stunning show without the luxury of rehearsal time when artists from various professional companies in both cities who have never met before came together in the last hour! Deep gratitude is also expressed for our generous donors and sponsors! (link to sponsors) It speaks volumes of all involved whose discipline, commitment and goodwill transcend language and cultural barriers, the strongest testament to the long-lasting relationship of Portland and Suzhou.

Happy 30th Anniversary!

Rose Bed Dedication and Tree Planting Ceremonies

July 28, 2018 PSSCA Rose Bed Dedication and Tree Planting Ceremonies Celebrations of the 30-year Portland-Suzhou Sister City anniversary began Saturday morning, July 28, 2018, with the dedication of a rose bed in Washington Park.

On behalf of Portland Parks and Recreation, Rachel Burlington, Curator of the International Rose Test Garden welcomed the delegations from Suzhou led by Mr. Gu Jie, Secretary General of Standing Committee of Suzhou Municipal People’s Congress.

The City of Portland’s Mayor Ted Wheeler, International Relations Director, Chido Dhliwayo and Portland-Suzhou Sister City Association (PSSCA) President, Bob Fraser, addressed the group of delegates, PSSCA Board Directors and Royal Rosarians.

The Mayor and Mr. Gu Jie, together planted and watered a rose bush in the rose bed dedicated to the PSSCA.

The group then reassembled at the Hoyt Arboretum where they were met by Hoyt Curator Martin Nicholson. A scenic walk along the Bristlecone Pine Trail brought them to the area in the Hoyt Chinese Forest where an Osmanthus heterophyllus “Variegatus’ was planted in honor of 30 years of sister city relations between Suzhou and Portland. This tree is a twin of a tree to be planted in the Lan Su Chinese Garden, both propagated from the 100 year old  Osmanthus nicknamed “Old Gui” or old noble one, that resided in the Lan Su courtyard until recently.

The group heard remarks by Martin Nicholson, Elizabeth Edwards, City of Portland Director of the Office of Government Relations, Lynne McIntyre, Immediate Past President of PSSCA, Mayor Ted Wheeler and Mr. Gu Jie. The tree planting at Hoyt was a fitting follow up of the tree planting ceremony that took place in Suzhou during the Mayor’s delegation in April.