Amsterdam（Netherlands）

Amsterdam（Netherlands）

[Overview] Amsterdam is the capital of the Netherlands, located in the western province of North Holland. The city is one to five meters below sea level. It covers an area of 219 square kilometers and has a population of 854,000. Its role as the country's capital city is rather symbolic. According to the law, the inauguration ceremony of the Dutch monarch and other important ceremonies are held in Amsterdam, but the Dutch Parliament, Prime Minister's Office, and central government agencies, as well as foreign embassies and international organizations are located in the Hague.

[Politics] Amsterdam is governed by the city council and the College of Mayor and Alderpersons. The city council is the highest governing body of the city and is responsible for the city's important decision-making and budget-related work. The council has 45 members who are directly elected for a four-year term. The College of Mayor and Alderpersons is responsible for daily management and operations of the city, including drafting resolutions to be submitted to the city council for consideration and acting on the resolutions adopted by the council. It consists of the mayor and nine alderpersons who are elected by the city council from its members and perform their duties as city council members concurrently. The mayor is not elected but appointed by the King for a term of six years. As the chairperson of both the city council and the College of Mayor and Alderpersons, the mayor has no voting right in the city council. The mayor also heads the city's Police Department, responsible for maintaining public order. The current Mayor of Amsterdam, Femke Halsema, took office in July 2018.

[Economy] Amsterdam is the economic, financial and business center of the Netherlands. Financial and business services, creative industries, high-tech materials and manufacturing, and information technology are the city's pillar industries. Amsterdam leads the world in the number of companies engaging in business services and creative industries. In recent years, Amsterdam has worked hard to attract companies to settle down in the city. Many foreign companies have located their headquarters or representative offices in the city. The Zuidas business district has brought together the five largest law firms of the Netherlands as well as many world-renowned consulting firms. The Amsterdam Stock Exchange in the city center is the first stock market in the world and one of the largest in Europe.

[Culture and Education] Amsterdam is the country's education and technology center. The most famed universities in the city are the University of Amsterdam and the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. The citizens are highly educated. Amsterdam recognizes English as the second official language after Dutch. It has a long history and rich cultural heritage. More than 50 museums and ancient canals in the city attract a large number of tourists from all over the world every year.

[Relations with Beijing] On October 29, 1994, Beijing and Amsterdam established a sister city relationship. In recent years, the two cities have maintained good official ties and engaged in various forms of exchanges and cooperation in the fields of investment, trade, culture, design, water affairs, and smart city.

Investment and Trade: The two cities' exchanges in this regard are mainly concentrated in finance. The Bank of Beijing has signed a number of cooperation agreements and memorandums with ING over matters such as share subscription, strategic partnership agreement, going carbon neutral, insurance business, joint venture, and innovation cooperation. The collaboration between the two banks is regarded as a successful model of financial cooperation between China and the Netherlands.

Culture and Design: In September 2011, the Van Gogh and the Impressionists exhibition was held in Beijing, attracting visitors from all over the country. As guest city of Beijing Design Week 2013, Amsterdam held the Florentijn Hofman's Rubber Duck exhibitions at Beijing Garden Expo Park and the Summer Palace, Design Goes Dutch exhibition, Van Gogh Museum Edition Collection Exhibition and other featured events in Beijing.

Smart City: In September 2013, the two cities jointly held the first Sino-Dutch Forum on Smart City in Beijing, kickstarting their cooperation in the field of smart city. In June 2015, the two cities jointly held the second Sino-Dutch Forum on Smart City in Amsterdam. In September 2016, the two cities signed the Memorandum of Understanding for Strategic Cooperation on Smart City. In September 2018, Beijing University of Technology and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam organized a seminar on smart city in Amsterdam. The China-Netherlands Belt and Road Cooperation Forum was held at around the same time.

Water Affairs: The water authorities of the two cities have maintained good exchanges and cooperation. Beijing Water Authority has sent staff many times to participate in the Amsterdam International Water Week or to study urban water management in Amsterdam.

阿姆斯特丹市（荷兰）

【概况】阿姆斯特丹市是荷兰首都，位于荷兰西部的北荷兰省，是一座低于海平面1至5米的“海底城市”，面积219平方公里，人口85.4万。阿姆斯特丹作为荷兰首都，仅具有象征意义。按照法律规定，荷兰君主登基仪式和其它一些重要典礼在阿姆斯特丹举行，但荷兰议会、首相府、中央各部门、外国驻荷使馆以及在荷国际组织均设在海牙。

【政治】阿姆斯特丹市管理机构包括市议会和市政委员会。市议会是阿市最高权力机构，负责该市所有重要决策和预算相关工作。市议会由45名议员组成，通过直接选举产生，任期4年。市政委员会负责城市的管理和运行，主要职责包括起草需要提交给市议会审议的决议草案，执行市议会通过的决议。市政委员会由1名市长和9名委员组成。委员由市议会从议员中选举产生，同时履行市议员职责。市长非选举产生，由荷兰王室任命，任期6年。作为市议会和市政委员会的负责人，市长在市议会没有投票权。市长还领导市警察局，负责维持社会秩序。现任市长费克·霍尔斯玛于2018年7月就职。

【经济】阿姆斯特丹市是荷兰经济、金融和工商业中心。主要产业包括金融与商业服务业、创意经济、高科技材料与制造业、信息技术行业等。阿姆斯特丹商业服务企业和文化创意企业数量全球领先。近年来，阿姆斯特丹市大力吸引各类企业前来落户，众多国外企业在该市设立总部或代表处。泽伊达斯商务区汇集了荷兰五大律师事务所和众多国际知名咨询公司。位于市中心的阿姆斯特丹证券交易所是世界上最古老的证交所，也是欧洲最大的证交所之一。

【文化教育】阿姆斯特丹市是全国教育和科技中心，主要大学有阿姆斯特丹大学和阿姆斯特丹自由大学。市民受教育程度较高，英语是继荷兰语之后的第二通用语言。阿姆斯特丹是历史文化名城。市内的50多家博物馆和古运河每年吸引世界各地的游客前来观光旅游。

【两市交往】1994年10月29日，北京市与阿姆斯特丹市正式建立友好城市关系。近年来，两市保持着良好的官方往来，双方在经贸、人文、设计、水务、智慧城市等领域开展了形式多样的交流与合作。

经济贸易：两市经贸交往主要体现在金融领域。北京银行与荷兰ING集团合作密切，签署了包括股份认购及战略伙伴协议、“碳中和”企业责任及保险业务战略合作备忘录、合资银行备忘录、创新合作备忘录等在内的多项合作协议，被誉为中荷金融合作的成功典范。

文化设计：2011年9月，阿姆斯特丹市在京举办了《梵高和阿姆斯特丹的画家们》画展，受到全国各地参观者的热烈欢迎。2013年，作为“北京国际设计周”主宾城市，阿姆斯特丹市在京举办了 “大黄鸭”园博园和颐和园展、“如荷设计”主题设计作品展、梵高全息珍藏限量版作品展等系列特色活动。

智慧城市：2013年9月，两市在京共同举办首届中荷智慧城市高峰论坛，开启了两市智慧城市领域合作。2015年6月，两市在阿姆斯特丹市共同举办了第二届中荷智慧城市高峰论坛。2016年9月，两市签署了《北京市与阿姆斯特丹市智慧城市战略合作备忘录》。2018年9月，北京工业大学与阿姆斯特丹自由大学在阿姆斯特丹市主办了智慧城市研讨会，同期还举办了中荷“一带一路”合作论坛。

水务领域：两市水务部门保持着良好的交流合作。我市水务局多次派员赴阿姆斯特丹市参加荷兰阿姆斯特丹国际水周或交流学习城市水务管理技术。

（Source: Foreign Affairs Office of Beijing Municipal Government）