Dallas has ended relationships with sister cities in Russia and China to comply with a new state law banning such agreements with countries deemed foreign adversaries.
The Dallas City Council on Wednesday approved ending the city’s connections with Tianjin, China, and Saratov, Russia, after Gov. Greg Abbott signed House Bill 128 into law in June. It requires all Texas cities to terminate sister city agreements with China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia by Oct. 1.
Texas lawmakers who supported HB 128 argued that sister city agreements with China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia could pose security risks or conflict with U.S. foreign policy.
Sister city agreements are meant to promote tourism as well as cultural, business and educational exchanges. City Council member Adam Bazaldua went on a 10-day trip to Dallas’ sister city Sendai, Japan, earlier this month. The $6,000 visit was funded by the city’s office of government affairs using reallocated American Rescue Plan Act funds, which were designated in February 2024 to boost international business and tourism.
Tianjin, China, was established as a sister city with Dallas in 1995, and Saratov in southwestern Russia has had a sister city agreement with Dallas since it was approved by the City Council in 2004. Dallas suspended its relationship with Saratov in March 2022 after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Related
Dallas has at least nine sister city agreements, with Mayor Eric Johnson signing an agreement to add Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, in July.
Council member Cara Mendelsohn criticized the number of agreements at Wednesday’s meeting. She suggested the city’s program be reviewed and that there be a set criteria for success to determine which partnerships are actually necessary.
“With so many relationships, we don’t have a clear strategy for which partnerships matter most and why,” she said. “Meanwhile, residents expect us to focus on core needs, public safety, infrastructure and affordability that are much closer to home.”