San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie Visits Sister Cities Shanghai and Seoul

San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie began his first international trip on April 18, 2026, traveling to Shanghai, China and then to Seoul, South Korea, to strengthen cultural and tourism ties with two of the city’s official sister cities.

The visit, confirmed by the Mayor’s Office and reported through municipal communications, focuses on advancing collaboration in arts, culture, and tourism sectors. San Francisco established its sister city relationship with Shanghai in 1979 and with Seoul in 1988, both part of a broader network of international partnerships aimed at fostering mutual understanding and exchange.

In Shanghai, Mayor Lurie met with local officials and cultural representatives to discuss joint initiatives, including potential exhibitions, artist residencies, and tourism promotion efforts. The discussions built on existing ties between San Francisco’s Chinatown Community Development Center and organizations in Shanghai, particularly those focused on preserving heritage and supporting immigrant communities.

Malcolm Yeung, executive director of the Chinatown Community Development Center, has previously engaged in dialogue with Shanghai-based cultural groups on shared challenges related to urban development and cultural preservation. While Yeung did not accompany the mayor on this trip, his organization’s work was cited as a foundation for ongoing collaboration.

The mayor’s itinerary also included a stop in Seoul, where he engaged with city officials and arts institutions to explore opportunities for cultural programming, including performances, film exchanges, and joint festivals. San Francisco and Seoul have previously collaborated on initiatives involving technology, urban planning, and public art, with recent efforts highlighting Korean contemporary culture in San Francisco’s museums and public spaces.

Nancy Yu Law, a San Francisco-based advocate for Asian American cultural equity, has worked on bridging ties between the city and its Asian sister cities through arts advocacy. Though not part of the official delegation, her prior engagements with both Shanghai and Seoul cultural offices were noted in background briefings as contributing to the context of the visit.

The trip underscores San Francisco’s strategy of using sister city relationships to promote soft diplomacy, cultural exchange, and economic tourism. Officials said the visits aim to increase visitor numbers from China and South Korea while showcasing San Francisco’s diverse cultural offerings, including its museums, theaters, and neighborhood festivals.

Both Shanghai and Seoul remain key sources of international tourism for San Francisco, with pre-pandemic data showing significant visitor numbers from both cities. The mayor’s office indicated that revitalizing tourism from Asia is a priority as global travel patterns continue to rebound.

No formal agreements were announced during the trip, but officials described the meetings as exploratory and relationship-building, laying groundwork for future memoranda of understanding in cultural and tourism sectors. The mayor is expected to return to San Francisco by late April 2026, with a public report on the trip’s outcomes to follow.