Linden Mayor Gerbounka visited Tongchuan, Shaanxi to discuss economic partnership possibilities between the two sister cities. Mayor Gerbounka touts Linden's proximity to Manhattan, Ports Elizabeth, and Newark and Linden's existing industrial companies in his speech. Tongchuan is known for producing herbal medicine, which Gerbounka believes could pair nicely with opportunities at Merck, an international pharmaceutical company in Linden. His visit to China was the start of a long enduring relationship that will carry on for several decades.