CRANBERRY TWP — The Sister Cities project to form a bond between the township and Haiyang, China, is going well.

The focus of the initiative is for the township to form a relationship with Haiyang. Westinghouse Electric is building two nuclear power facilities in Haiyang, and Cranberry is home to the company’s headquarters.

Westinghouse CEO Ric Perez and his wife, Kim, recently traveled to China and took a day trip to Haiyang, a white-sand beach community which is known as the Hawaii of the Orient.

Kim Perez said she and a handful of other Americans were greeted at the Sept. 13 visit by Haiyang Mayor Jiang Shili and Deputy Mayor Li Yuanhui.

“After an exchange of greetings and expressions of friendship, the mayor told us about his city and their commitment to this Sister City relationship,” Perez said.

She presented the mayor with a glass plaque designating Cranberry and Haiyang as sister cities. The American delegation then had a private bus tour of Haiyang guided by the mayor and his staff.

The group was able to view Haiyang’s preparations for the 2012 Asian Beach Games, which included the construction of a green, eco-friendly stadium.

“That was most impressive,” Perez said.

The visit ended with a luncheon.

“There were many toasts by the government officials to the continued exchanges and the cooperation of our Sister Cities and for lasting friendship in these changing times,” Perez said.

The mayor left the delegation with an invitation to return to Haiyang as his guests at the Asian Beach Games.

“That’s an opportunity I would love to experience,” Perez said.

Chelsea Puff, township cultural initiatives coordinator, said the visit made the front page of Haiyang’s newspaper, which included pictures of Perez with the mayor.

“That’s very exciting for us,” Puff said.

She said an invitation to visit Cranberry was extended to Haiyang officials, but they declined because of the preparations for the beach games.

Puff said in addition to the Haiyang visit, the association also is working on cultural education in Cranberry. She said outreach programs included a booth at the Taste of Cranberry event on Sept. 14.

She said the association also had a Chinese cultural event at the Sherwood Oaks retirement community in the spring, and plans are in the works for a family-oriented Chinese New Year celebration in January.

She said the 30-member association includes residents of all ages, most of whom have an interest in Chinese culture.

“Several members work with companies that do business in China and are familiar with that culture,” Puff said. “We are really pleased with (the association’s) progress.”

Information on the Sister Cities and cultural diversity programs is at www.cranberrytownship.org.