San Francisco Mayor Visits Sister Cities in China, South Korea

Mayor Daniel Lurie to strengthen ties, promote tourism, and showcase arts and culture

Apr. 17, 2026 at 8:11pm by

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A bold, geometric illustration in the Art Deco style, featuring sweeping architectural forms and gradients of color, conceptually representing the grand scale and international scope of the mayor's diplomatic trip.San Francisco's mayor embarks on a diplomatic mission to strengthen ties with the city's sister cities in Asia, showcasing the global reach and cultural diversity of the Bay Area.San Francisco Today

San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie is scheduled to travel to Shanghai and Seoul this week to visit the city's sister cities in China and South Korea. The goal of the trip is to strengthen relationships, deepen arts and culture partnerships, and promote tourism to San Francisco.

Why it matters

As one of the most diverse cities in the United States, San Francisco has long-standing sister city relationships that help foster cultural exchange, economic ties, and tourism. These types of diplomatic visits are important for maintaining strong international connections and showcasing the city's vibrant arts, culture, and community.

The details

Mayor Lurie is set to visit Shanghai and Seoul, two of San Francisco's sister cities, over the next few days. During the trip, he plans to build on existing partnerships, highlight the city's thriving Chinese and Korean communities, and invite visitors to experience San Francisco.

  • Mayor Lurie is scheduled to fly to Asia on Friday, April 17, 2026.

The players

Daniel Lurie

The current mayor of San Francisco who is leading the trip to strengthen ties with the city's sister cities in China and South Korea.

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What they’re saying

“We are heading out to Shanghai and to Seoul, two of our beloved sister cities, to continue to build bridges, city to city, people to people, showing off the best of our arts and culture, and going to see some of theirs.”

— Daniel Lurie, Mayor of San Francisco

What’s next

The mayor's office plans to provide updates on the trip during the Friday evening newscasts on NBC Bay Area.

The takeaway

San Francisco's strong international relationships with sister cities in China and South Korea are an important part of the city's global connections and efforts to promote cultural exchange, economic ties, and tourism.