On March 6, 2026, during the Expo Turismo Vale do Café — an event promoted by the State Secretariat of Tourism of Rio de Janeiro dedicated to promoting municipalities in the region — the Brazil-China Creative Economy Institute (IECBC) marked another important advance in its international cooperation and territorial development agenda.
On the occasion, IECBC signed a Cooperation Agreement with the municipality of Barra do Piraí, reinforcing its commitment to building institutional, economic and international opportunities for the city. The event featured the participation of Mayor Katia Miki, whose presence gave political and institutional relevance to the ceremony.
**Historic milestone: Sister Cities**
This joint effort resulted, on the same day, in the signing of the Sister Cities Agreement between Barra do Piraí and Rongjiang, consolidating an unprecedented achievement for the municipality. The act projects Barra do Piraí onto the international stage and represents the first formal movement of this nature in its 135 years of emancipation.
**Institutional articulation**
Municipal Secretary Tadeu Oliveira also played a relevant role in building the favorable institutional environment for this rapprochement, joining efforts to strengthen Barra do Piraí's presence in an international cooperation agenda with potential to generate concrete developments in tourism, culture, creative economy, exchange and development.
**Institutional presence**
IECBC President Claudia Jannuzzi, Director Paulo Alves and Vice President Leandro Su attended the ceremony. In addition to being part of the Institute's institutional delegation, Leandro Su also participated, at the request of the Rongjiang government, as a witness to the agreement that formalized the sister-city relationship.
**Strategic significance**
The signing of both instruments, in the context of a high-visibility state event, reinforces IECBC's role as an articulator of strategic connections between Brazil and China, supporting Brazilian municipalities in expanding their international insertion and building long-term partnerships.
