How Will Fuzhou and This Small U.S. City Nurture a Friendship as Fragrant as Jasmine Tea?
“When perfectly infused, jasmine releases a fragrance beyond compare, hailed as the finest aroma in the world.”
Jasmine tea acquires its signature aroma through a meticulous scenting process—where the fragrance of jasmine lingers, though no blossoms remain in sight. Fresh jasmine flowers are layered over tea leaves, allowing the leaves to absorb their fragrance before the flowers are removed. This is repeated over nine times to produce the tea’s rich, lingering aroma.
During her first visit to Fuzhou this June, Victoria Woodards, Mayor of Tacoma, Washington, was warmly invited to view the jasmine tea scenting process firsthand.
She was deeply inspired, believing that the relationships—whether between people or cities—are much like jasmine tea. They need time and patience to slowly blossom.
“The scenting process is a perfect metaphor for how friendship is built through continual exchanges,” Mayor Woodards said. “With each interaction, bonds grow stronger—just like jasmine tea’s fragrance becomes richer after every round of scenting.”
“It’s much like the partnership between Fuzhou and Tacoma. Our bond is as tightly intertwined as jasmine flowers and tea leaves,” she said.
The continued connection between Fuzhou and Tacoma is rooted in a friendship that has lasted over 30 years. These two cities are nearly 10,000 kilometers apart in a straight line, and even by air, it’s a flight of over ten hours. Yet, despite the distance, these two cities became sister cities three decades ago. So, what brought them together?
In 1994, Xi Jinping, then Secretary of the CPC Fuzhou Municipal Committee, helped forge the friendship between these two cities across the Pacific.
In late 1993, Xi Jinping, then Secretary of the CPC Fuzhou Municipal Committee, paid a visit to Tacoma. The following year, thanks to the collaborative efforts of both cities, Fuzhou and Tacoma officially established their sister-city relationship.
Since the establishment of a sister-city relationship, Fuzhou and Tacoma have hosted more than a hundred mutual delegation visits. They’ve collaborated and exchanged ideas across a wide range of areas, including economy and trade, culture, education, and sports.
The sister-city partnership has given middle school students in Tacoma more opportunities to visit China. They get to experience the real China and develop a genuine love for its culture.
During his first state visit to the United States on September 23, 2015, Chinese President Xi Jinping made a return visit to Tacoma, where he toured Lincoln High School. The choice of the school as a stop was closely linked to the sister-city bond between Tacoma and Fuzhou, as well as the sister-school relationship between Lincoln High School and Affiliated High School of Fuzhou Institute of Education.
At the school, President Xi had a warm conversation with teachers and students, gifted Lincoln High books about China and a ping-pong table, and invited 100 students to visit China in 2016.
“I’m really grateful and feel fortunate to have been chosen for that trip,” said 23-year-old Rigel Adams, a member of the Lincoln High School delegation that visited China in 2016.
“During those days, we did so much—meeting Chinese students, visiting different schools, and immersing ourselves in Chinese culture. It was an unforgettable experience. After that trip in 2016, I fell in love with the people and the culture of China. Everyone was so respectful and thoughtful. It felt very different from the U.S., and I really appreciated that.”
Since 2016, Adams has returned to China six more times on his own, visiting many different cities across the country.
Adams recently graduated with a degree in economics. “During those trips, I was able to build both personal and professional connections,” he said. “I hope to continue growing those relationships—maybe even turn them into business opportunities one day.”
Over the past three decades, Fuzhou and Tacoma have gained tangible development opportunities and deepened mutual understanding through their friendly exchanges. Looking ahead, both cities are committed to carrying their friendship forward.
The future of China-U.S. relations lies with the people—grounded in grassroots exchanges, sustained by youth engagement, and invigorated by local partnerships.
For three decades, the sister-city relationship between Fuzhou and Tacoma has withstood the test of time and distance, steadily growing stronger. Looking forward, this friendship will continue to deepen, creating more opportunities for exchange and cooperation between the people of both cities and helping them shape a brighter future together.