P’sinan – Sichuan sisterhood signed
By Danlor Hidalgo
Reporter
LINGAYEN – The provincial government of Pangasinan has entered into a sisterhood agreement with Sichuan province in China.
No less than Governor Amado T. Espino and Sichuan Executive Vice Governor Wei Hong inks the Memorandum of Understanding for the friendly cooperation between Sichuan province in China and Pangasinan last August 21 at Chengdu, Sichuan. The sisterhood conformity aims to hasten exchange of commerce and trade, enhance agriculture based endeavors using new technological trends and method and to enrich cultural ties.
Governor Espino said that the activity will open doors for new investment as Sichuan investors showed their interest to invest in the province of Pangasinan. “As the matter of fact some skilled agriculture technician will be arriving in the province soon to see how they can invest in agriculture in the province.
Espino expressed his thanks to Sichuan Province for adopting Pangasinan as its sister province considering its enormous population of 87 million as compared to Pangasinan’s 2.7 million.
Espino said that Sichuan province has a beautiful and clean environment and most especially they have a strong tourism industry.
Sichuan province has highly modernized system in agriculture and some of their farmers are very much willing to share its technology in farming and aquaculture to Pangasinan. "Titignan daw nila ang ating mga produkto lalo na ang mangga. Nagdala kami ng dried mango doon at nagustuhan nila," Espino added
Sichuan is the trade and commerce center of West China with 20 big banking and finance institution that include Hong Kong Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) Citigroup and Standard Chartered. Sichuan has also one of the China’s three hydropower plant.
Both Pangasinan and Sichuan have similar topographic character suitable for agricultural production. The province of Pangasinan contributes 70 percent more or less of the Region one’s demand for corn, rice and other agricultural products, While Sichuan is the leading agricultural product supplier in mainland China.
Espino was accompanied by Board members Amadeo Espino and Danilo Uy, Mayor Emma Chan of Pozzorubio, officers of Philippine-Chinise Chamber of Commerce of Pangasinan headed by Allan Agapa, ABONO Party-list chairman Engr. Rosendo So, provincial Executive Assistant Ramon Morden and the governor’s wife Priscilla I. Espino.