A HAND of friendship is still to be extended by Kendal to a mega wealthy Chinese suburb despite opposition from some town councillors to the "twinning" of the two areas.

Members of Kendal Town Council agreed to press ahead with the signing of a friendship charter that will foster close relations between the South Lakeland town and Nanshan in China.

The Gazette reported last July that officials from the Nanshan district in Shenzhen - the most successful of China's special economic zones - had been 'blown away' on a visit to Kendal and had made a twinning approach.

The principle aim of the agreement is to promote cross-cultural trade, tourism and educational development between the two areas and its people.

It comes in part thanks to Kendal Mountain Festival's links with the region, which has its own Nanshan International Mountain Film Festival.

But Cllr Matt Severn and Cllr John Veevers said they were opposed to the signing of a friendship charter agreement because they believed that the Communist Party had an oppressive regime.

"The communist party of China regime is a regime that routinely oppresses human rights and that routinely oppresses religious freedoms and political and civil freedoms across mainland China," said Cllr Severn. "I feel that the Chinese government, through its oppressive actions in control of state media and state authorities, continues to silence people who have legitimate criticisms."

The draft agreement, which also includes the Lake District National Park Authority and South Lakeland District Council, says the relationship can promote cultural understanding and respect, global education and increased economic growth for both regions.

The majority of councillors spoke out in favour of the friendship charter and the positives that it could bring to both the people of Nanshan and Kendal.

Cllr Sylvia Emmott, who 'wholeheartedly' supported the friendship, said: "I see no reason at all why a friendship agreement should not be signed. We need to make these contacts across the world.

"We need our young people from one country to talk to the young people of another country and not build up barriers."

Cllr Tom Clare said that there needed to be a commitment from Nanshan Council that it would also be raising public educational awareness, which he said the draft friendship charter did not make clear.

Cllr Feeney-Johnson said that it was through an exchange of friendship and culture that attitudes could be changed, as well as highlighting the economic benefits of the charter.

"This is an opportunity for us as a community to become friends with a completely different culture," she said. "I see importance in bringing our children up to recognise that we are all the same in this world and we are global citizens."

It was agreed that the friendship charter was approved in principle but that the draft would be referred back to make sure that equivalent documents were signed by Nanshan Council.