Attachment A

Report on International Travel – Guangzhou

International Award for Innovation for

Green Square

2

Report On International Travel – Guangzhou International

Award For Urban Innovation For Green Square

Travel Report: Councillor Jess Scully

1. Executive Summary

At its meeting on Monday 19 November 2018, Council endorsed that Councillor Jess Scully

attend and speak on behalf of the Lord Mayor at the Guangzhou International Award for

Urban Innovation from 5 to 8 December 2018.

I left Sydney after the Committee Meeting on Monday 3 December 2018, arriving in

Guangzhou on the morning of Tuesday 4 December 2018. That afternoon I experienced

Guangzhou’s public transport network and visited its cultural precincts, including the Lychee

Bay Area and the Guangzhou Opera House. I also met with the Australian Deputy Consul

General in Guangzhou.

On Wednesday 5 December 2018, I had a half

day trip to Shenzhen where Ms Liu Jiachen, the

Deputy Secretary General of Shenzhen

Municipal Government, briefed me about

Shenzhen’s creative industries. Later I visited

the Shenzhen Garment Industry Association and

Madam Shen Yongfang, the President of the

Association, briefed me about Shenzhen’s

fashion industry and Shenzhen Fashion Week.

We discussed their interest in Sydney Fashion

Week, and agreed to explore how to achieve this

major textile and fashion manufacturing hub

having a presence there. My final meeting was

with HAX, a hardware startups incubator, which

hosts a number of Australian and Sydney based

hardware startups. I informed them about the

City’s successful Visiting Entrepreneur Program,

and committed to connecting them with relevant

City staff who could help build new opportunities

for local tech businesses.

The Guangzhou International Award for Urban

Innovation was held from Thursday 6 December

to Saturday 8 December 2018. It received 313

submissions from 213 cities and 70

countries/regions from which 15 cities were

shortlisted. In addition to Sydney, the shortlist included New York (United States), Milan

(Italy), Salvador (Brazil), and Repentigny (Canada).

On Thursday 6 December 2018, the City of Sydney was the first city to present our Green

Square Project at the presentation session. Two staff members, Ms Lila Contziu, Manager,

Green Square Place Making, and Ms Tamara Bruckshaw, Manager, Major Projects

Planning, delivered the City’s presentation and answered audience questions. In the

afternoon, we listened to other cities’ presentations. Afterwards, I took part in a media call

with 10 local media organisations, who together had an audience reach of 10 million people,

CLR SCULLY WITH MS LIU JIACHEN, THE DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL OF SHENZHEN MUNICIPAL

PEOPLE'S GOVERNMENT

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to further promote Sydney as a Green, Global and Connected city. The day finished with a

Pearl River night cruise which showcased the lighting and scenic river views.

My speech at the Global Mayors’ Forum on

Friday 7 December 2018, had the theme

“From Words to Actions: Green City

Development and Cooperation”, and was

followed by a Discussion Panel with other

mayors and policy makers.

Mr Chen Zhiying, the Executive Vice-Mayor

of Guangzhou, hosted the Sydney delegation

for a Courtesy Call and praised the Sister

City relationship with Sydney, noting how it

has benefited people from both cities.

My final activity in Guangzhou on Saturday 8

December 2018 was a tour to the Guangzhou

Urban Planning Exhibition Centre where I

learned about the City’s development history,

and had a site visit to the Flower City Plaza in

its town centre.

The cost for the three days travel averaged

approximately $525 per person.

CLR SCULLY WITH FORMER MAYOR OF GUANGZHOU, MR CHEN JIANHUA

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2. Guangzhou

Sydney and Guangzhou’s Sister City

Relationship was established in 1986 and

remains active and well supported by a wide

range of businesses and communities.

In 2016, the Lord Mayor led the largest

delegation in Sydney’s history to Guangzhou,

with more than 100 representatives from local

businesses and communities, to celebrate the

30th Anniversary of our Sister City

Relationship.

2.1 Site Visits

It was my first visit to Guangzhou and I was impressed by its convenient public transport and

its well-preserved historic cultural precincts. It showed its modern face with a series of iconic

buildings on the bank of the Pearl River in the new town centre – Zhu Jiang New Town.

The Lychee Bay Precinct in Guangzhou’s

oldest district, Li Wan District, combines

residential areas with historic relics and

architecture. The Precinct has retained many

original features – shops and homes on both

sides of Lychee Creek connected by

pedestrian-only stone bridges and, at the

same time, community facilities have been

created which include fitness facilities,

Cantonese Opera performing stages, a

library, and an exhibition centre. It is the most

renowned tourist attraction, and also the local

community’s favourite activity centre.

The Guangzhou Opera House, located in Zhu

Jiang New Town, is the new icon designed by

world-renowned architect Zaha Hadid. It is

the largest opera house in South China,

serving Guangzhou city’s 13 million people as

well as the whole of Guangdong province,

with a population of approximately 110

million people.

The General Manager of Guangzhou Opera House, Mr He Ying, showed me the Concert

Hall, the Opera Hall, and the Multi-function Theatre. As the busiest performing centre in

GUANGZHOU OPERA HOUSE AND THE CANTO TOWER

CLR SCULLY WITH MR HE YING, GENERAL MANAGER, AND MS LI XING, EXTERNAL RELATIONS, GUANGZHOU OPERA

HOUSE

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South China, it has performances from all over the

world. He also briefly outlined their renovation plan

which will upgrade superseded facilities and

technologies even though it was only built in 2009.

The visit to the Guangzhou Urban Planning

Exhibition Centre was an opportunity to understand

Guangzhou’s urban design concept and future

town planning. Its masterplan Guangzhou Urban

Planning Overview (2017 – 2035), will demonstrate

how to accommodate its growing population.

Our last stop, the Flower City Square, is the city’s

largest square and is referred as Guangzhou’s

“Living Room”. It is a popular venue for local

residents and tourists with its trees and public art

works, especially in mid-summer.

2.2 The Global Mayors’ Forum and the Guangzhou Award for Urban Innovation

The theme of the Global Mayors’

Forum and its 2018 Guangzhou

International Urban Innovation

conference was “Global Openness

and Inclusive Innovation”.

On behalf of the Lord Mayor and

the City, I delivered a 10-minute

keynote speech in the parallel

session entitled “From Words to

Actions: Green City Development

and Cooperation”. I provided

information about the City: its area,

population, economy, our cultural

diversity, the focus on Sustainable

Sydney 2030 and our international engagement in the 100 Resilient Cities program. I also

highlighted the Green Square Redevelopment Project and how it is implementing our vision

to develop Sydney as a Green, Global, and Connected city.

GUANGZHOU CITY MODEL IN THE GUANGZHOU URBAN PLANNING EXHIBITION CENTRE

CLR SCULLY IN KEYNOTE SPEAKING IN THE GLOBAL MAYORS’ FORUM

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I also participated in a

high-level discussion

panel with leaders from

international cities and

organisations. It was

good to learn about how

other cities are dealing

with common urban

issues. Mr Jung Jong

Tee, the Deputy Mayor of

Kwangju, Korea, and Mr

Arturo Lorenzoni, the

Deputy Mayor of Padua,

Italy made detailed

presentations about their

cities. Mr Nicholas You,

the Honorary Chairman of World Urban Campaign, articulated the importance of building the

global ecological partnership, driven by technology innovation. Mr Lin Guangming, the

Executive Director of NUS Urban Development Consulting Centre, Singapore, and Ms Lee

Hong Wei, the Director and Professor of Ecological Civilization Research Office, Party

School of the CPC Central Committee, spoke about the importance of creating and building

community for our shared future and collaboration between all our cities and local

governments to address the issues we are facing.

I also took part in a Summit Dialogue facilitated by Mr Lin Guangming, with Ms Kirstin Miller,

CEO of Ecocity Builders; Mr Zhang Yisheng, Vice Mayor of Zhuhai, China; and Mr Lin Guan,

Mayor of Hezhou, China.

The presentation by our staff,

Ms Lila Contziu, Manager,

Green Square Place Making,

and Ms Tamara Bruckshaw,

Manager, Major Projects

Planning, on the Green

Square Redevelopment

Project entitled “Green

Square: From a Rich Industrial

Past to a Vibrant, Sustainable

and Connected Community”

was professional and detailed.

In the later Q & A session,

they answered audience

questions about government

management and the City’s

public consultation processes.

CLR SCULLY IN SUMMIT DIALOGUE WITH INTERNATIONAL MAYORS

MS LILA CONTZIU AND MS TAMARA BRUCKSHAW PRESENTING GREEN SQUARE PRESENTATION IN GUANGZHOU INTERNATIONAL AWARD FOR URBAN INNOVATION

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The jury acknowledged the Green Square

Redevelopment Project was “Australia’s largest

urban renewal project to date, to be supported by

participating public and non-public stakeholders

and aims to be the most liveable, resilient, lively,

walkable, accessible, sustainable and unique

area of the city for the benefit of its estimated

61,000 residents.”

The Technical Committee Report states, “The

Technical Committee were impressed by the

holistic approach to innovation, scale and

transferability to the project and notes that the

successful implementation of the project will

deliver outcomes consistent with the SDG 3:

Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for

all ages; SDG 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable

education and promote life-long learning

opportunities for all; SDG 6: Ensure availability

and sustainable management of water and

sanitation for all; and SDG 11: Make cities and

human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and

sustainable.”

2.3 Courtesy Call with the Guangzhou Government

Executive Vice Mayor of Guangzhou, Mr Chen Zhiying, hosted a Courtesy Call with our

delegation and extended a warm welcome from Guangzhou to its Sister City. Mr Chen had

met with the Lord Mayor during her visit to Guangzhou in 2016 for the 30th Anniversary of

our Sister City Relationship.

Mr Chen updated me about Guangzhou’s new town planning masterplan and how they had

learned from Sustainable Sydney 2030. He particularly mentioned that the Green Square

project had inspired Guangzhou’s Zhu Jiang New Town and its planning, acknowledging the

participation of Mr Andrew Thomas, the City’s

Executive Manager of Strategic Planning and

Urban Design in the 2018 international

consultation.

Mr Chen Jie, Director of the Guangzhou

Commerce Commission, Ms Zhang Rong,

Deputy Director of the Guangzhou Land

Resource and Urban Planning Department,

and Ms Huang Suiwen, Deputy Director

General of Guangzhou Foreign Affairs Office

also attended the meeting.

GREEN SQUARE INFORMATION BOARD IN THE EXHIBITION AREA

SYDNEY DELEGATION WITH VICE MAYOR CHEN AND HIS COLLEAGUES FROM GUANGZHOU GOVERNMENT

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2.4 Meeting at the Australian Consulate General in Guangzhou

In my meeting with the Deputy Consul General, Ms Fiona Cochaud, I thanked her and the

Consul General for their support during our 30th Anniversary celebrations.

It was a short meeting, but we discussed the City’s relationship with Guangdong Province,

which has a Sister State Relationship with New South Wales.

2.5 Media Coverage

This visit received outstanding media coverage in Guangzhou:

Guangzhou TV:

http://zzgs.ucbyun.gztv.com//web/newsDetail?id=95816&share=1&from=singlemessage

&isappinstalled=0

Wemedia: http://wemedia.ifeng.com/91974796/wemedia.shtml

The Southern Metropolis Daily:

http://toutiao.3g.oeeee.com/mp/toutiao/BAAFRD000020181206121897.html

Dayoo News, Guangzhou Daily:

http://news.dayoo.com/guangzhou/201812/08/139995_52398213.htm

Snow News:

https://www.xuehua.us/2018/12/07/%E4%B8%96%E7%95%8C%E5%B0%8F%E5%95

%86%E5%93%81%E4%B9%8B%E9%83%BD%E4%B9%89%E4%B9%8C%E4%BB%8

0%E4%B9%88%E7%89%B9%E8%89%B2%EF%BC%9F%E5%B9%BF%E5%B7%9E%

E5%A5%96%E7%AD%94%E8%BE%A9/zh-tw/

China News: http://www.chinanews.com/sh/2018/12-06/8694653.shtml

China Daily: http://gd.chinadaily.com.cn/2018-12/08/content_37373410.htm

People’s Daily: http://gd.rmsznet.com/video/d64633.html

CLR SCULLY IN MEDIA CALL WITH GUANGZHOU LOCAL MEDIA

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Tencent News: https://wxn.qq.com/cmsid/20181209A0LFFV00

China Economy:

http://www.ce.cn/xwzx/gnsz/gdxw/201812/09/t20181209_30986867.shtml

Sina News: https://k.sina.com.cn/article_1663612603_6328b6bb02000eoqh.html

Hong Kong Commerce Daily: http://www.hkcd.com/content/2018-

12/09/content_1113452.html

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3. SHENZHEN

Shenzhen is one of China’s four first-tier cities and has been the pioneer of China’s “Reform

and Opening up” policy since 1979. It is also a “Special Economic Zone” directly managed

by the Central Government. The city features contemporary buildings and a number of

amusement parks.

My half-day visit was very productive. I arrived in the morning of 5 December 2018 for the

meeting with Liu Jiachen, the Deputy Secretary General of the Shenzhen Government.

Ms Liu gave me an overview of Shenzhen city and introduced its creative industries and

high-tech startups. She advised that since the Lord Mayor met with former Mayor of

Shenzhen, Mr Xu Qin in 2014, Shenzhen has made

significant achievements towards its sustainable

development goals and that Mayor Xu always mentioned

Sustainable Sydney 2030 in his government briefs.

Mr Pan Weiqi, Director of Science, Technology and

Innovation, Commission of Shenzhen Government, Mr

Xiong Dechang, Director of Culture, Sports, and Tourism

Administration of Shenzhen Government, and Mr Wang

Zhongmin, Director of Foreign Affairs Office of Shenzhen

Government, also attended the meeting.

In my meeting with Madam Shen Yongfang, President of

the Shenzhen Garment Association, I learned about

Shenzhen’s garment industries and the annual Shenzhen

Fashion Week. Since 2016, Shenzhen garment industries

annual sales have reached 200 billion RMB (approx. $41

billion Australian dollars) and is now shifting its focus

from garment making to creative design.

My final stop was HAX, a hardware startup incubator in

the high-tech and electronic zone, Hua Qiang Bei. HAX

was founded in 2011 and is now the world’s largest

hardware accelerator. The program selects startups for

investment and offers on-site support and mentoring in

exchange for short-term equity.

HAX was the first accelerator in the world to focus on

hardware startups, leveraging its unique access to

Shenzhen's ecosystem. As at June 2017, about 90% of

its startup investments were from overseas, with a

number of Australian and Sydney-based startups that

have achieved global success.

We discussed future opportunities to build capacity and

connections with the Sydney startup and research

ecosystem.

CLR SCULLY WITH MDM SHEN YONGFANG IN SHENZHEN GARMENT ASSOCIATION

HUA QIANG BEI ELECTRONIC WORLD, THE INNOVATION HUB OF SHENHEN AND CHINA