Invercargill has backtracked on a plan to let its Chinese sister city host a delegation first after receiving a letter clarifying whose turn it was.

The southern city signed a memorandum of understanding with Suqian, China, in 2013, but the relationship fell quiet.

In May this year, Invercargill councillors voted to maintain the relationship with Suqian, but decided to invite a Chinese delegation to visit first in 2025.

At the time, deputy mayor Tom Campbell said it was Suqian’s turn to travel.

But on Tuesday, council governance and legal manager Michael Morris said a response from Suqian claimed it was the south’s turn to visit because of established diplomatic protocol.

"We went to them first," he said.

A key issue centred on a visit by councillor Lesley Soper to China, which included her collection of an award.

Although she had briefly stopped in Suqian, the sister city likely regarded it as more of a visit to Wuhan for the purpose of collecting the award, Soper said.

“I would probably agree that it’s our turn.”

Mayor Nobby Clark still believed it was Suqian’s turn, but said they had “countered” that.

Councillor Darren Ludlow said the sister city relationship presented trade and educational opportunities, with a large number of students from Suqian coming to SIT (Southern Institue of Technology), while deputy mayor Tom Campbell said it would “test the patience” of ratepayers to go away this triennium.

Ultimately, councillors decided on an April 2026 visit.

Those elected in October 2025 were still entitled to decide if the trip should go ahead or not, councillor Ian Pottinger pointed out.

Visits between the two cities have occurred on multiple occasions between 2012 and 2018.

The delegation for the upcoming trip would include chosen councillors, the council chief executive, a staff member and interpreter.

An invitation would also be extended to a mana whenua representative.

The cost for flights, trains and accommodation was estimated to come in at about $12,500, but other "incidental costs" were likely to be added for things such as airport transfers, gifts and travel insurance.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air