Haikou

People's Republic of China Sister City

Current Projects

Composite: A Sister Cities Photo Exhibition

Ever wondered what Darwin and Haikou local environments might have in common? Then why not visit COMPOSITE: A Sister Cities Photographic Competition. Showing until 25 May 2012 at the Community Art Space, Level 1, Civic Centre, City of Darwin, Harry Chan Avenue, this very special exhibition showcases the local environments of each city. Don't forget to vote in the People's Choice Award.

COMPOSITE: Information Sheet

For more information call 8930 0695 or email darwin@darwin.nt.gov.au

"Darwin's Time Capsule" has safely made its way to Haikou where it will be on permanent display at the Haikou Office of Foreign Affairs. Created by local artist, Techy Masero, the uniquely Darwin work was an initiative of Council to further strengthen our Sister City relationship through art and culture. The work will be co-located with artworks from Haikou's other Sister Cities. See photos of the artwork here and read the description in English and Chinese.

To celebrate our friendship and to welcome our guests from Haikou competing at the Arafura Games we asked the Australia China Friendship Society to develop a dance titled "Happy Bamboo" that symbolizes the Darwin and Haikou Sister City relationship.

Happy Bamboo dancers “Happy Bamboo” uses traditional dance techniques, native to Haikou. This type of dancing is called “Li Zhu.” In the dance the happy Haikou boys and girls are playing and dancing with the bamboo in celebration of the harvest season. The arrival of the dragonflies, which represent City of Darwin, signifies the opening of a new chapter for the City of Haikou. The dragonflies wish to create a Sister City friendship with Haikou to foster harmony and prosperity in both cities.

Dragonfly dances with Haikou Boys and Girls Towards the end of the dance we see the Haikou boys and girls dancing together with the Dragonflies, symbolising the unity between our two cities. Click here to see photos of the inaugral performance.

September 5th, 2010 marked the 20 year anniversary of the Sister City relationship between Darwin and Haikou. Darwin Lord Mayor Graeme Sawyer and Haikou Sister City Community Committee Chairman Phillip Rudd had the opportunity to attend celebrations in Haikou. The occasion was marked by a gala banquet with traditional Chinese performances. Lord Mayor of Darwin was presented with a key to Haikou City. Mr. Li, the former Mayor of Haikou who was present at the original signing of the agreement was an honoured guest at the event. To see photos of the event, click here. To view the news article in local press click here.

Background and History

Bus in Haikou Initial investigations for a sister city affiliation with a city in the People's Republic of China began in February 1987 through Lord Mayor Alec Fong Lim, the Australian-China Friendship Society and Council's then Sister City Management Committee. At the time Xiamen and Haikou, Hainan Island were being considered. The final decision was made in 1989 based on the historical links between Darwin and Haikou, with the assistance of the Australian and Chinese Ambassadors, the Friendship Associations and the Chung Wah Society.

Family on Bike in Haikou The affiliation with Haikou was established in 1990 and in a very short time, the beginnings of a student exchange program commenced with two students from Darwin visiting Haikou to study in early 1992. The exchange program became fully reciprocal when, in April 1993, five Haikou students came to Darwin for twelve months. Through the generosity of the community, they were home hosted and began studies at Darwin High School. Two completed advanced English studies at the Northern Territory University. To date seventeen Darwin students have benefited from studies in Haikou and eighteen Haikou students have been involved in the reciprocal exchange program. In 1997, sixteen athletes from Haikou participated in the Arafura Games in Darwin and won gold medals in both table tennis and field events.

The Gull Force Memorial Project was conceived in the mid 90's to provide a tangible, meaningful project that would build on the original reasons for developing the sister city relationship between Darwin and Haikou. The project was concluded in 2003 when two sister commemorative plaques were laid in honour of the men and women, who suffered in captivity at the hands of the Japanese in World War II on Hainan Island. The Gull Force, 266 Australian soldiers, fell into the hands of the Japanese while defending Ambon and were relocated to a POW camp to work as slave labour on Hainan Island from 1942 to 1945.

The Australian plaque was laid in Bicentennial Park, Darwin, Northern Territory of Australia on Sister Cities Day, 5 July 2003. The dedication service was conducted in accordance with military ceremony and with consideration of respective cultural tradition.

On 14 September 2003 the sister city memorial dedication ceremony took place on Hainan Island and a Mayoral delegation including a Gulf Force survivor travelled from Darwin to take part in the ceremony. The plaque was mounted on a rock close to the site of the POW camp, adjacent to the burial site of two POW escapees close to Dong Fang City. The ceremony was attended by delegation members, the Lord Mayor of Dong Fang, Haikou Foreign Affairs Officials, community members and surviving residents of the village that serviced the POW camp during the Japanese occupation. A video of each ceremony was produced to record the historic occasions.

The laying of the plaques represented the culmination of years of collaborative work between the sister cities of Darwin and Haikou which resulted in both cities, from Lord Mayors to community members, building close relationships and a joint appreciation for their shared history.

Council still supports this project today by providing an annual donation to the local farmer in Dong Fang who carefully maintains the burial site. To view photos of a visit from a Dongfang delegation in August 2010, click here.