In 2004
In March, Ruan Zhongxun, director of the Provincial Foreign Affairs Office, was invited to lead a working group, visited Ticino State and Lugano City, visited state governor Giannila and Lugano Mayor Judic, and established initial contacts between the two provinces and states.
At the end of August, Qiao Chuanxiu, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, led a delegation from Zhejiang Province to visit Ticino, and signed letters of intent on friendly relations between Ticino and Lugano.
In 2005
On September 5th, Erasmo Perry, deputy mayor of Lugano, led a delegation of 10 people to France to participate in the “French Zhejiang Week” held by the Zhejiang provincial government in Paris. Governor Lv Zushan met with the delegation.
In 2006
From June 6th to 9th, the governor of Ticino, Jain Piero Djanira, led a 10-member delegation from Ticino to visit Zhejiang. On the 6th, Governor Lv Zushan met with Djanira and his party and introduced the economic and social development of Zhejiang Province. The two sides had friendly exchanges. After the meeting, Lv Zushan and the Governor of Giannina jointly signed the Agreement on Establishing Friendly Provincial Relations between Zhejiang Province and Ticino State. Vice Governor Zhong Shan, Secretary General of the provincial government Feng Shunqiao and Deputy Secretary General Lou Xiaodong attended the meeting and signing ceremony. Zhongshan banqueted the delegation. Ruan Zhongxun, director of the Provincial Foreign Affairs Office, attended the banquet. The delegation also went to Ningbo to attend the 8th Zhejiang Investment and Trade Fair.
In August, two students from Ticino, Switzerland, went to study in Zhejiang. On August 31st and December 25th, Ruan Zhongxun, director of the Provincial Foreign Affairs Office, and Wang Yiner, deputy director, met with two international students respectively and asked about their study and life.
On November 22nd, Mayor Judith of Lugano wrote to Director Ruan Zhongxun, informing him that the government of Ticino and Lugano had set up an office in Shanghai, headed by Ms. Zhu Yuhua. The office is mainly responsible for cooperation projects between the two cities.
From December 18th to 20th, Zhu Yuhua, head of the Shanghai office of Lugano, Switzerland, visited Zhejiang to discuss the cooperation plan for 2007 with the Foreign Affairs Office of the province on behalf of the governments of Ticino and Lugano. On the 19th, Wang Yiner, deputy director of the Foreign Affairs Office of the province, hosted a banquet for Zhu Yuhua, and the two sides had friendly exchanges. In addition, Zhu Yuhua also visited the Provincial Department of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation to learn about large-scale expositions in Zhejiang Province. Visit Fuchun Mountain Golf Club, and discuss with relevant people the matter that Lugano municipal government wants to hold amateur golf tournament in Hangzhou in 2007.
In 2007
From June 6 to 10, Governor Giannina led a delegation of 18 people from Ticino and Lugano municipal governments to visit our province and went to Ningbo to attend the Zhejiang Fair. During the Zhejiang Fair, Zhang Mengjin, deputy director of the Standing Committee of the Provincial People’s Congress, met with Governor Djanira and his party. The two sides exchanged views on the economic, trade, cultural and educational activities carried out by the two provinces and states since the establishment of friendly relations..The exchange and cooperation were reviewed, and the good wishes of deepening mutual understanding and further promoting cooperation were expressed. On the morning of the 8th, Governor Lv Zushan and Governor Giannina jointly cut the ribbon for the booth of “Ticino and Lugano”. Officials from the government departments of Ticino also visited Zhejiang University Medical College, Zhejiang Second Hospital, Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Provincial Central Blood Bank and Shaoxing University of Arts and Sciences.
From September 11th to 16th, Governor Lv Zushan led a delegation of Zhejiang Provincial Government to visit Ticino and Lugano. On 13th, Governor Djanira hosted a banquet for the delegation. On the 14th, Governor Pesenti, Governor Giannila and Speaker Weidemann met and hosted a banquet for the delegation. The two sides reviewed the past cooperation and exchanges and expressed their strong desire to further strengthen all-round and multi-field cooperation, especially in the fields of medicine, education, agriculture, science and technology and machinery manufacturing. During the visit, Governor Giannina and Speaker Weidemann accompanied Governor Lv Zushan and his party to visit and inspect Swiss GF Archie Xia Mier Company, Biomedical Research Institute, Cardiology Research Institute, Lugano University and Farm. In addition, Governor Lv Zushan held talks with the deputy mayor of Lugano, and visited the players of Hangzhou Division who participated in the final of Lugano International Friendship City Golf Round Robin in Lugano.
From November 19th to 21st, a delegation from the Cardiology Research Center of Ticino, Switzerland visited Hangzhou and visited the Second Zhejiang Hospital.
On December 14th, a group of five people from Mario Gondwana Architectural Design Office in Lugano, Ticino, Switzerland visited Zhejiang. The delegation visited Hangzhou Construction Committee and Guangsha Construction Group Company.