Dubbo councillors have endorsed sister-city relationships with China and Japan, with one saying they were helping to further "global social and economic development" through local cooperation.
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A number of civic leaders advocated strengthening links with the Asian region and praised recent delegates to Wujiang and Minokamo as fine "ambassadors" not just of Dubbo but also of Australia.
Ten students and two chaperones travelled to Minokamo in Japan and for the first time six students and two chaperones travelled to Wujiang at the end of September as part of the council's annual sister city exchange program.
Representatives of the students gave a report about their trip to the council's finance and policy committee on Monday.
Chaperone to Minokamo Chris Bray also spoke, congratulating former mayor Tom Slattery for establishing the sister city program 25 years earlier and subsequent councillors for continuing the arrangement.
She said the bond between Dubbo and Minokamo was "extremely strong".
Cr Ben Shields said how appropriate it was that on the day Chinese president Xi Jinping was addressing the federal Parliament, they were hearing from their local exchange students.
"I think Dubbo City Council has the right sister city formula," he said.
"We do not pay for councillors to go (to the sister cities), we pay for students to go."
Students' reports the exchange had shaped their views of the two countries showed the value of the program, Cr Allan Smith said.
"It gives people a better understanding of the area we live in - the Asia Pacific," he said.
He noted Shoyoen Japanese garden had been a gift from the city of Minokamo.
"So when anyone asks what we get out of (the sister-city program), we get a lot out of it," he said.
Cr John Walkom said the student exchange "builds the capacity of our community".
Cr Lyn Griffiths said it was "amazing what (could) be achieved when you (had) goodwill and good intent".
Cr Walkom, the committee chairman, continued the endorsement this week, saying in a media release the program provided a wonderful opportunity for Dubbo's youth to experience a different culture and discover a new part of the world.
"As a councillor the presentation (from the delegates) really reiterated to me the value of the sister city exchange program in allowing our youth, who will be the future leaders of our city and our nation, the opportunity to expand their world view," he said.
"Our sister city relationships with Minokamo and Wujiang provide an ongoing means to build international goodwill and to further global social and economic development based on cooperation at a local level."
