Sister Cities of California

California's sister cities establish diplomatic relations with cities worldwide by opening trade missions, exchanging delegations and establishing economic programs that foster international relations with California.

The Sister Cities program works as a facilitator that pairs up cities in different countries to establish social bonds, economic ties and international cultural diplomacy.

California, a famous multicultural society and global top-ten economy, attracts countries, business and people who want to engage with innovative California companies, organizations and individuals.

Sister Cities International (SCI) was founded by President Dwight D. Eisenhower as a national nonprofit membership organization for individual sister cities, counties and states.

Heavily represented in California, Sister Cities International is a citizen diplomacy network that builds and strengthens foreign relations between communities in 136 nations, promoting mutual respect, understanding and cooperation.

A sister city program is a volunteer group of ordinary Californians that, with the support of local elected officials, forms a long-term relationship with another city abroad. Each sister city program is independent with goals and activities important to their local community.

"Sister city programs promote peace through people-to-people relationships," explained California State Coordinator Georgiana McLeod.

"From basic cultural exchange programs to shared research and development projects, the sister city program allows mutually beneficial connections to form between California cities and communities abroad," McLeod added.

Below is a comprehensive list of California sister cities (and sister counties), featuring the twin towns they are paired with across the globe.  Larger California cities tend to partner with multiple sister cities abroad.

List of Sister Cities in California

Alameda Sister Cities

• Arita, Japan
• Wuxi, China

Alhambra Sister City

• Rizhao, China

Anaheim Sister Cities

• Mito, Japan
• Orlando, Florida
• Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain

Antioch Sister Cities

• Chichibu, Japan
• Lázaro Cárdenas, Mexico

Arcadia Sister Cities

• Newcastle, Australia
• Tripoli, Greece

Arcata Sister City

• Camoapa, Nicaragua

Artesia Sister City

• Jamay, Mexico

Azusa Sister City

• Zacatecas, Mexico

Bakersfield Sister Cities

• Bucheon, South Korea
• Cixi, China
• Darwin, Australia
• Minsk, Belarus
• Santiago de Querétaro, Mexico
• Wakayama, Japan

Belmont Sister City

• Namur, Belgium

Benicia Sister City

• Tula, Mexico

Berkeley Sister Cities

• Blackfeet Nation, Montana
• Dmitrov, Russia
• Gao, Mali
• Jena, Germany
• León, Nicaragua
• Oukasie, South Africa
• Palma Soriano, Cuba
• Sakai, Japan
• San Antonio Los Ranchos, El Salvador
• Ulan-Ude, Russia
• Uma-Bawang, Malaysia
• Yondó, Colombia
• Yurok Tribe, California

Beverly Hills Sister Cities

• Acapulco, Mexico
• Cannes, France

Big Bear Lake Sister City

• Abtenau, Austria

Brea Sister Cities

• Anseong, South Korea
• Hanno, Japan
• Lagos de Moreno, Mexico

Brisbane Sister City

• Brisbane, Australia

Burbank Sister Cities

• Gaborone, Botswana
• Incheon, South Korea
• Ota, Japan
• Solna, Sweden

Calipatria Sister City

• Jericho, Palestine

Carlsbad Sister Cities

• Futtsu, Japan
• Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic

Carson Sister Cities

• La Carlota, Philippines
• Soka, Japan
• Wanju, South Korea

Cerritos Sister City

• Loreto, Mexico

Chico Sister Cities

• Pascagoula, Mississippi
• Tamsui/Taipei, Taiwan

Chula Vista Sister Cities

• Cebu City, Philippines
• Odawara, Japan

Coloma Sister City

• Clunes, Australia

Concord Sister City

• Kitakami, Japan

Costa Mesa Sister City

• Wyndham, Australia

Covina Sister City

• Xalapa, Mexico

Culver City Sister Cities

• Iksan, South Korea
• Kaizuka, Japan
• Lethbridge, Canada
• Uruapan, Mexico
• Yanji, China

Cupertino Sister Cities

• Bhubaneswar, India
• Copertino, Italy
• Hsinchu, Taiwan
• Toyokawa, Japan

Daly City Sister City

• Quezon City, Philippines

Davis Sister Cities

• Inuyama, Japan
• Qufu, China
• Uman, Ukraine

Downey Sister Cities

• Alajuela, Costa Rica
• Ensenada, Mexico
• Fresnillo, Mexico
• Guadalajara, Mexico
• Valle de San Quintin, Mexico

Dublin Sister City

• Bray, Ireland

East Palo Alto Sister City

• Grahamstown, South Africa

El Cajon Sister Cities

• Comondu, Mexico
• Goulburn, Australia
• Sulzfeld, Germany

El Monte Sister Cities

• Marcq-en-Barœul, France
• Yongkang, Taiwan
• Zamora, Mexico

Elk Grove Sister City

• Concepción de Ataco, El Salvador

Encinitas Sister City

• Amakusa City, Japan

Escondido Sister City

• Itoshima City, Japan

Eureka Sister Cities

• Kamisu, Japan
• Nelson, New Zealand

Fairfield Sister City

• Nirasaki, Japan

Folsom Sister Cities

• Crespano del Grappa, Italy
• Jiaohe, China

Fort Bragg Sister City

• Otsuchi, Japan

Fremont Sister Cities

• Elimonzabeth, Australia
• Fukaya, Japan

Fresno Sister Cities

• Afula, Israel
• B'Quabbah, Iraq
• Etchmiadzin, Armenia
• Kochi, Japan
• Münster, Germany
• Nimes, France
• Taishan, China
• Torreon, Mexico
• Verona, Italy

Fullerton Sister Cities

• Fukui, Japan
• Morelia, Mexico
• Yongin, South Korea

Garden Grove Sister City

• Anyang, South Korea

Gardena Sister Cities

• Huatabampo, Mexico
• Ichikawa, Japan
• Rosarito Beach, Mexico

Gilroy Sister Cities

• Angra Do Heroismo, Portugal
• Koror, Palau
• Monticelli d'Ongina, Italy
• Saint-Clar, France
• Takko, Japan
• Tecate, Mexico

Glendale Sister Cities

• Higashiosaka, Japan
• Hiroshima, Japan
• Kapan, Armenia
• Rosarito Beach, Mexico
• Tlaquepaque, Mexico

Glendora Sister City

• Moka, Japan

Grass Valley Sister City

• Bodmin, England

Greenfield Sister Cities

• Apaseo El Alto, Mexico
• Santiago Pinotepa Naciónal, Mexico

Gridley City Sister City

• Gbarnga City, Liberia

Gustine Sister City

• Angra do Heroísmo, Azores

Hayward Sister Cities

• Funabashi, Japan
• Ghazni, Afghanistan

Hemet Sister Cities

• Cootamundra, Australia
• Ebeltoft, Denmark
• Kushimoto, Japan
• Marumori, Japan

Hercules Sister City

• Tsushima, Japan

Hermosa Beach Sister City

• Loreto, Mexico

Hollister Sister City

• Takino, Japan

Huntington Beach Sister Cities

• Anjo, Japan
• Waitakere, New Zealand

Huntington Park Sister Cities

• Puebla, Mexico
• Playas de Rosarito, Mexico
• San Julián, Mexico
• Yahualica, Mexico

Inglewood Sister Cities

• Bo, Sierra Leone
• Pedavena, Italy
• Port Antonio, Jamaica

Irvine Sister Cities

• Hermosillo, Mexico
• Taoyuan, Taiwan
• Tsukuba, Japan

Irwindale Sister City

• Salvatierra, Mexico

La Habra Sister Cities

• Eunpyeong-gu, South Korea
• San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

La Mirada Sister City

• Isehara, Japan

La Palma Sister City

• Hanam City, South Korea

Laguna Beach Sister City

• Menton, France

Laguna Niguel Sister City

• Alq'aim, Iraq

Livermore Sister Cities

• Quetzaltenango, Guatemala
• Snezhinsk, Russia
• Yotsukaido, Japan

Livingston Sister City

• Wakami, Japan

Lodi Sister Cities

• Kofu, Japan
• Lodi, Italy

Loma Linda Sister Cities

• Libertador, Argentina
• Manipal, India

Lomita Sister City

• Takaishi, Japan

Lompoc Sister Cities

• Cheyenne, Wyoming
• Inca, Spain
• Lake Placid, Florida
• Locarno, Switzerland
• Namwon City, South Korea

Long Beach Sister Cities

• Bacolod, Philippines
• Guadalajara, Mexico
• Izmir, Turkey
• Kolkata, India
• Manta, Ecuador
• Phnom Penh, Cambodia
• Qingdao, China
• Sochi, Russia
• Valparaíso, Chile
• Yokkaichi, Japan

Los Altos Sister Cities

• Bendigo, Australia
• Rustington, England
• Shilin, Taiwan
• Syktyvkar, Russia

Los Angeles Sister Cities

• Athens, Greece
• Auckland, New Zealand
• Beirut, Lebanon
• Berlin, Germany
• Bordeaux, France
• Busan, South Korea
• Eilat, Israel
• Giza, Egypt
• Guangzhou, China
• Ischia, Italy
• Jakarta, Indonesia
• Kaunas, Lithuania
• Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
• Lódz, Poland
• Lusaka, Zambia
• Makati, Philippines
• Manchester, England
• Mexico City, Mexico
• Mumbai, India
• Nagoya, Japan
• Podgorica, Montenegro
• Saint Petersburg, Russia
• Salvador, Brazil
• Split, Croatia
• Taipei, Taiwan
• Tehran, Iran
• Vancouver, Canada
• Yerevan, Armenia

Los Gatos Sister Cities

• Jhonghe/Taipei, Taiwan
• Liaoyang, China
• Listowel, Ireland
• Tallinn, Estonia
• Zihuatanejo, Mexico

Lynwood Sister Cities

• Aguascalientes, Mexico
• Chihuahua, Mexico
• Zacatecas, Mexico

Martinez Sister Cities

• Dunbar, Scotland
• Hanchuan, China
• Zacatecas, Mexico

Mendocino Sister City

• Miasa-Omachi, Japan

Merced Sister Cities

• Albury, Australia
• Somoto, Nicaragua

Millbrae Sister Cities

• La Serena, Chile
• Mosta, Malta

Milpitas Sister Cities

• Dagupan, Philippines
• Huizhou, China
• Tsukuba, Japan

Modesto Sister Cities

• Khmelnytskyi, Ukraine
• Kurume, Japan
• Vijayawada, India
• Vernon, Canada

Montebello Sister Cities

• Ashiya, Japan
• Stepanakert, Nagorno-Karabakh

Monterey Sister Cities

• Dubrovnik, Croatia
• Kusadasi, Turkey
• Lankaran, Azerbaijan
• Lerida, Spain
• Nanao, Japan
• Tainan City, Taiwan
• Trapani, Italy

Monterey Park Sister Cities

• Nachikatsuura, Japan
• Quanzhou, China
• Yung-ho, Taiwan
• Yeongdeungpo-gu, South Korea
• Morelia, Mexico

Morgan Hill Sister Cities

• Headford, Ireland
• Mizuho, Japan
• San Casciano in Val di Pesa, Italy
• San Martín de Hidalgo, Mexico

Mountain View Sister Cities

• Hasselt, Belgium
• Iwata, Japan

Napa Valley Sister Cities

• Casablanca Valley, Chile
• Iwanuma, Japan
• Launceston, Australia
• Telavi, Georgia

National City Sister City

• Tecate, Mexico

Nevada City Sister City

• Penzance, England

Newport Beach Sister Cities

• Antibes, France
• Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
• Okazaki, Japan
• Vung Tau, Vietnam
• Yeosu, South Korea

Novato Sister City

• Shepparton, Australia

Oakland Sister Cities

• Agadir, Morocco
• Da Nang, Vietnam
• Dalian, China
• Fukuoka, Japan
• Nakhodka, Russia
• Ocho Rios, Jamaica
• Santiago de Cuba, Cuba
• Sekondi-Takoradi, Ghana 
• Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Oceanside Sister Cities

• A'ana, Samoa
• Ensenada, Mexico
• Fuji, Japan
• Kisarazu, Japan

Ontario Sister Cities

• Brockville, Canada
• Guamuchil, Mexico
• Mocorito, Mexico
• Winterthur, Switzerland

Orange Sister Cities

• Novo Kosino, Russia
• Orange, Australia
• Orange, France
• Querétaro, Mexico
• Timaru, New Zealand

Orinda Sister City

• Tábor, Czech Republic

Oroville Sister City

• Salem, Massachusetts

Oxnard Sister City

• Ocotlán, Mexico

Palm Desert Sister Cities

• Gisborne, New Zealand
• Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo, Mexico

Palmdale Sister City

• Poncitlán, Mexico

Palo Alto Sister Cities

• Albi, France
• Enschede, Netherlands
• Linköping, Sweden
• Oaxaca, Mexico
• Palo, Philippines
• Tsuchiura, Japan

Pasadena Sister Cities

• Järvenpää, Finland
• Ludwigshafen am Rhein, Germany
• Mishima, Japan
• Vanadzor, Armenia
• Xicheng-Beijing, China

Pico Rivera Sister City

• San Luis Potosí, Mexico

Pittsburg Sister City

• Shimonoseki, Japan

Pleasant Hill Sister Cities

• Chilpancingo, Mexico
• Merzifon, Turkey

Pleasanton Sister Cities

• Blairgowrie, England
• Tulancingo, Mexico

Redlands Sister Cities

• Hino, Japan
• Linli, China
• San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

Redondo Beach Sister Cities

• Ensenada, Mexico
• La Paz, Mexico

Redwood City Sister Cities

• Colima, Mexico
• Zhuhai, China

Richmond Sister Cities

• Regla, Cuba
• Shimada, Japan
• Zhoushan, China

Riverbank Sister Cities

• Fuyang, China
• Fürstenfeld, Austria
• Tamazula de Gordiano, Mexico

Riverside Sister Cities

• Cuautla, Mexico
• Hyderabad, India
• Jiangmen, China
• Sendai, Japan

Rohnert Park Sister City

• Hashimoto, Japan

Rosemead Sister Cities

• Keelung, Taiwan
• Zapopan, Mexico

Roseville Sister City

• Chignahuapan, Mexico

Running Springs Sister City

• Sehmatal, Germany

Sacramento Sister Cities

• Bethlehem, Palestine
• Chisinau, Moldova
• Hamilton, New Zealand
• Jinan, China - Liestal, Switzerland
• Manila, Philippines
• Matsuyama, Japan
• San Juan de Oriente, Nicaragua
• Yongsan-gu, South Korea

Salinas Sister Cities

• Cebu City, Philippines
• Jerecuaro, Mexico
• Kushikino, Japan

San Bernardino Sister Cities

• Herzliya, Israel
• Ile-Ife, Nigeria
• Kigali, Rwanda
• Mexicali, Mexico
• Roxas, Philippines
• Tachikawa, Japan
• Tauranga, New Zealand
• Villahermosa, Mexico
• Zavolzhye, Russia

San Bruno Sister City

• Narita, Japan

San Carlos Sister Cities

• Okotoks, Canada
• San Carlos, Nicaragua

San Clemente Sister Cities

• San José de Balcarce, Argentina
• San Clemente del Tuyu, Argentina

San Diego Sister Cities

• Alcalá de Henares, Spain
• Campinas, Brazil
• Cavite City, Philippines
• Edinburgh, Scotland
• Jalalabad, Afghanistan
• Jeongju, South Korea
• Leon, Mexico
• Perth, Australia
• Taichung City, Taiwan
• Tema, Ghana
• Tijuana, Mexico
• Vladivostok, Russia
• Warsaw, Poland
• Yantai, China
• Yokohama, Japan

San Francisco Sister Cities

• Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
• Amman, Jordan
• Assisi, Italy
• Bangalore, India
• Barcelona, Spain
• Caracas, Venezuela
• Cork, Ireland
• Haifa, Israel
• Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
• Kraków, Poland
• Manila, Philippines
• Osaka, Japan
• Paris, France
• Seoul, South Korea
• Shanghai, China
• Sydney, Australia
• Taipei, TaiwanThessaloniki, Greece
• Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
• Valparaiso, Chile
• Zurich, Switzerland

San Jose Sister Cities

• Dublin, Ireland
• Kanpur, India
• Okayama, Japan
• Pune, India
• San José, Costa Rica
• Tainan City, Taiwan
• Veracruz, Mexico
• Yekaterinburg, Russia

San Leandro Sister Cities

• Naga City, Philippines
• Ribeirao Preto, Brazil

San Luis Obispo Sister City

• Narvacan, Philippines

San Mateo Sister Cities

• San Pablo City, Philippines
• Toyonaka, Japan
• Varde, Denmark

San Pedro Sister City

• Manzanillo, Mexico

Santa Barbara Sister Cities

• Dingle, Ireland
• Palma de Mallorca, Spain
• Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
• San Juan City, Philippines
• Toba, Japan
• Weihai, China
• Yalta, Ukraine

Santa Clara Sister Cities

• Coimbra, Portugal
• Izumo, Japan

Santa Clara County Sister Counties

• Florence Province, Italy
• Hsinchu County, Taiwan
• Moscow Oblast, Russia

Santa Clarita Sister Cities

• Sariaya, Philippines
• Tena, Ecuador

Santa Cruz Sister Cities

• Alushta, Ukraine
• Jinotepe, Nicaragua
• Puerto la Cruz, Venezuela
• Sestri Levante, Italy
• Shingu, Japan

Santa Fe Springs Sister Cities

• Navojoa, Mexico
• Tirschenreuth, Germany

Santa Monica Sister Cities

• Cassino, Italy
• Fujinomiya, Japan
• Hamm, Germany
• Mazatlán, Mexico
• Sant'Elia, Italy

Santa Rosa Sister Cities

• Cherkasy, Ukraine
• Jeju City, South Korea
• Los Mochis, Mexico

Saratoga Sister Cities

• Harlem, New York
• Muko, Japan

Sausalito Sister Cities

• Sakaide, Japan
• Vina del Mar, Chile

Sebastopol Sister Cities

• Chyhyryn, Ukraine
• Yamauchi, Saga, Japan

Solvang Sister City

• Aalborg, Denmark

Sonoma Sister Cities

• Aswan, Egypt
• Chambolle-Musigny, France
• Greve, Italy
• Kaniv, Ukraine
• Pátzcuaro, Mexico
• Penglai, China
• Tokaj, Hungary

Sonora Sister City

• Kirishima, Japan

South El Monte Sister City

• Gómez Palacio, Mexico

South San Francisco Sister Cities

• Atotonilco, Mexico
• Kishiwada, Japan
• Lucca, Italy
• Pasig City, Philippines

Stockton Sister Cities

• Asaba, Nigeria
• Battambang, Cambodia
• Empalme, Mexico
• Foshan, China
• Iloilo, Philippines
• Parma, Italy
• Shimizu, Japan

Suisun City Sister Cities

• Lisbon, Portugal
• Nirasaki, Japan

Temecula Sister Cities

• Daisen-Nakayama, Japan
• Leidschendam-Voorburg, Netherlands

Temple City Sister City

• Hawkesbury, Australia

Torrance Sister City

• Kashiwa, Japan

Tracy Sister City

• Memuro, Japan

Union City Sister Cities

• Chiang Rai, Thailand
• Chinchongun, South Korea
• Jalandhar, India
• Pasay City, Philippines
• Santa Rosalia, Mexico
• Troisk, Russia

Upland Sister Cities

• Caborca, Mexico
• Mildura, Australia

Vallejo Sister Cities

• Akashi, Japan
• Bagamoyo, Tanzania
• Baguio, Philippines
• Chinchongun, South Korea
• La Spezia, Italy
• Trondheim, Norway

Visalia Sister Cities

• Miki City, Japan
• Putignano, Italy

Walnut Sister Cities

• Calamba City, Philippines
• Shilin, Taiwan

Walnut Creek Sister Cities

• Noceto, Italy
• Siófok, Hungary

Waterford Sister City

• Corn Island, Nicaragua

Watsonville Sister City

• Kawakami, Japan

West Covina Sister City

• Kurobane, Japan

Whittier Sister City

• Changshu, China

Woodland Sister City

• La Piedad, Mexico

Yolo County Sister County

• Šiauliai County, Lithuania

Yuba City Sister City

• Fujishiro, Japan

Cultural exchanges are the original form of citizen diplomacy.  Sister cities can educate each other on their respective histories, traditions, and customs.

Sister Cities International promotes opportunities for youth exchanges by providing project ideas, exchange programs, youth conferences, and mentoring opportunities to engage local young people in its dynamic international network.

International exchanges through the sister city programs boost industry, development, trade and company expansion through relationships that open doors for private sector investment.

Local sister city programs can also raise funds and supplies for natural disasters or other emergencies in their sister cities.

For example, when cities in Japan experienced the devastating earthquake and tsunami of 2011, their sister cities in California immediately responded with an outpouring of every type of support imaginable, bringing Japanese citizens to tears of gratitude for their sister cities in California.

More than ever, Japan holds California in the highest regard as a compassionate land of true and loyal friendship.

Other sister city development projects renovate clinics, build wells, train professionals and support schools abroad through materials, construction, and partnerships with California schools.

Sister city programs empower California volunteers to connect globally in unique, meaningful and satisfying ways.  Californians can become inspired by visiting the Sister Cities International website.

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