Cebu is looking to broaden its 16-year sister-province relationship with Guangxi beyond government exchanges, with the provincial government exploring cooperation in tourism, education, culture, technology, business and youth engagement.
Gov. Pamela S. Baricuatro highlighted the longstanding ties during her visit to the International Sister Cities exhibition in Nanning, China, where a dedicated booth showcases the relationship between Cebu and the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
The visit coincided with Cebu’s participation in the 22nd China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO), where the Philippines is the Country of Honor and Cebu is featured as the Province of Charm.
Cebu and Guangxi formally established their sister-province relationship in 2010, providing a framework for exchanges and cooperation between the two sides.
Baricuatro said the partnership’s continued existence across different administrations shows the value of sustained engagement between Cebu and Guangxi.
“I think the greatest strength of this relationship is its consistency. For 16 years, Guangxi and Cebu have continued to find opportunities to engage and learn from each other,” she said.
The governor said the relationship should translate into opportunities for communities and not remain limited to government-to-government engagements.
“I believe the best sister-province relationships are those that create real opportunities for people—through trade, tourism, education, culture, and people-to-people exchanges. That is the kind of relationship we hope to continue strengthening,” Baricuatro said.
She also identified connectivity as an area for possible cooperation, citing Cebu’s location and its role as a major maritime center in the Philippines.
“For Cebu, which is strategically located at the center of the Philippines and has a strong maritime economy, we are always interested in opportunities that can improve connectivity, trade, and the movement of goods and people,” she said.
Beyond trade and economic activities, Baricuatro said Cebu wants to expand exchanges involving tourism, education, culture and technology while creating opportunities for businesses and communities on both sides.
She also emphasized the importance of ensuring that the relationship continues beyond the administrations of current officials.
“What I find meaningful is that this friendship has lasted different generations,” she said. “For me, that says something important: relationships between sister provinces should be bigger than individual leaders. They should be relationships between people.”
Young people, she said, will play an important role in carrying the relationship into the future.
“I hope that during my term, we can create even more opportunities for young Cebuanos and young people from Guangxi to meet, learn from each other, and build friendships that will carry this relationship into the next generation,” she said.
The sister-province exhibit is one of three platforms where Cebu is being featured during CAEXPO 2026.
Cebu is also featured at the Philippine National Pavilion as the country’s Province of Charm, while Cebuano enterprises are participating separately at the Commodity Pavilion to promote their products and establish connections with potential buyers and business partners.
Baricuatro said the expo provides Cebu with an opportunity to build on its international relationships and pursue practical opportunities for the province and its residents.
“CAEXPO gives Cebu an important platform to connect with the wider ASEAN region and other international partners. It allows us to showcase Cebu, while at the same time opening doors for our businesses, local products, tourism industry, and potential investors,” she said.
She said Cebu’s participation is particularly significant because of the Philippines’ designation as Country of Honor and Cebu’s role as Province of Charm, expressing hope that relationships formed during the expo would eventually develop into partnerships benefiting Cebuanos.
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