The possible formation of a sister city committee brought protesters to the Whittier City Council on Tuesday in opposition to continuing a relationship with the Chinese city of Changshu.

The issue sprung from a broader proposal to reactivate the city’s sister city program, which City Manager Brian Saeki clarified did not refer to just one city.

But protesters, including multiple speakers during the council’s Tuesday meeting, centered on the Changshu-Whittier connection, which began in 1994 with a letter from the Chinese city inquiring if Whittier was interested in a sister city connection, according to Virginia Santana, director of Whittier’s Parks and Recreation and Community Services.

The partnership resulted in periodic visits and a pen pal program, as well as a pilot teacher program, according to Santana’s research. But by 2016, the connection was essentially inactive. None of the current council members