Denver Sister Cities International

Kunming, a city of almost 8 million people, is known as the “City of Eternal Spring” Similar to its mile-high sister city it is 6,236 feet above sea level. However its closer proximity to the equator creates a much milder climate. The city is famed for its year-round floral displays which made it the perfect spot for the 1999 World Horticultural Exhibition. Kunming spreads over a plain below a mountain, but unlike Denver, its southern expansion is blocked by a lake, Dian Chi, whose sinuous shoreline cuts through 300 miles of wilderness. There is a limited amount of cultivatable land, so the foothills are layered in terraced farms.

Kunming is the capital of Yunnan province. The province is richly diverse in both geography and culture. It borders mountainous Tibet autonomous region, tropical Vietnam, Myanmar, and Laos, and the provinces of Guizhou and Sichuan. It is home to almost two dozen of China’s recognized ethic minorities. Each minority has its own colorful dress and unique cultural traditions.

Kunming became the capital of Yunnan Province during the Mongol “Yuan” dynasty and through much of Chinese history was considered a far-away outpost – away from the center of power. It was a gateway along the Silk Road to India and was visited by Marco Polo in the 13 th Century. In the 19th century it became an important sphere of influence for the French who built a rail line between Kunming and Hanoi.

Of all the cities in China, it is particularly appropriate that Kunming should be Denver’s sister city because Kunming was essential in the American war effort in the Pacific theater of operations in World War II. Kunming was, in fact, the Chinese terminus of the overland Burma Road supply trains, and also the flights over the hump, i.e. the Himalaya Mountains from India.

It was also the base of the famous American Flying Tigers in World War II and the Headquarters of our China-Burma-India Theater. In fact, the founder of the Denver-Kunming Committee, John Yee, served with the Flying Tigers. Also, Denver’s long-time radio weatherman, the late Leon “Stormy” Rottman, served the Flying Tigers as Weatherman.

Now Kunming is a showcase of modernized China. Once regarded as a hardship post by Chinese officials, Kunming is now the transportation crossroads of the southwest, an industrialized manufacturing center, a hub for business in Southeast China, and a growing resort area. Road construction is underway which will make Kunming the only Chinese City connected India by road. Rail lines still connect it to Hanoi and other cities in SE Asia. Massive construction is underway to build a new city center in the suburb of Chenggong. This new city of approximately 2 million will be the location of City Government and Yunnan University.

Kunming, China, the capital of Yunnan Province in southwest China, is Denver’s eighth sister city. Relations were formalized in 1985 by the signing of the agreement by then Mayors Federico Pena and Zhu Zhi-Hui John Yee is credited with being the person who facilitated and worked with the mayors to build the relationship. Significantly this was a time when travel and exchanges between China and the United States were relatively new.

Denver was honored to be taking part of the “opening of the door” to China and has enjoyed a very warm and healthy relationship with the people of Kunming for almost 25 years

Examiner.com article featuring John Yee.

http://en.kunming.cn

www.gokunming.com

Chair: Jeanie Johnson

Phone:  303.755.9706
Email:  jeaniebj@aol.com