What's Being Discussed
The Hawaiʻi Sister-State and International Partnerships Commission will meet on Monday, October 26, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. to cover several topics related to Hawaiʻi's formal relationships with other countries and regions:

Ethics rules for Commission members, including guidelines on accepting gifts, invitations, and attending international events, as well as financial disclosure requirements
Budget planning for the Commission's operations and future budget requests through the Governor's process
New legislation review — examining Acts 158 (2025) and 181 (2026), and forming a working group to explore new international relationships
Sister-state selection process — reviewing how existing relationships are evaluated and maintained
Inventory of Hawaiʻi's international partnerships, including those involving state agencies, public and private schools, the University of Hawaiʻi, and other organizations
China engagement — follow-up on delegations from Guangdong and Hainan, and an invitation extended to Governor Green
Upcoming anniversaries of sister-state relationships with Azores, Hainan, Hiroshima, Pangasinan, Hokkaido, and Yamaguchi in 2027, plus a current Jeju, Korea 40th anniversary delegation

Decisions Expected

Approval of minutes from the May 13 and September 28, 2026, meetings
Forming a Permitted Interaction Group (PIG) to research and recommend new international partnerships
Discussion of criteria for reviewing and retaining existing sister-state relationships

Who Should Pay Attention

Residents interested in Hawaiʻi's international relationships and diplomacy
Schools and universities with international exchange programs
Businesses or organizations engaged in international partnerships with Hawaiʻi
Anyone with ties to Hawaiʻi's sister-state regions such as Japan, China, Korea, Portugal, and the Philippines