Recommended by the University of Birmingham, Hannah Thompson, an undergraduate majoring in international relations, came to the Asia-Pacific office of the World Association of Major Metropolises (Metropolis) in Guangzhou on a two-month internship and friendly exchange program. This visit is expected to strengthen the friendship between Guangzhou and its sister city Birmingham, to promote people-to-people, cultural and educational exchanges between the two cities, as well as to promote staff optimization. So far, Thompson’s major work has been the office’s daily routines, the publicity of the Guangzhou International Award for Urban Innovation and its follow-up case studies. 

Birmingham is located in central England. It is the largest city outside London and a major international commercial center. Guangzhou and Birmingham formally declared each other as sister city in December, 2006.