This is how many jobs overseas firms created in Sunderland last year

The city is now home to 90 international companies from 20 different countries, employing a total of 26,350 people.

The biggest single project of the 15 which has generated jobs and investment this year was French automotive supplier SNOP UK, which is currently constructing a 22,000 sq m building in the city,.

Other investments during the year included RWE Npower of Essen, Germany, who created new specialist roles in a new digital customer service wing at its Rainton Bridge campus, while US firm Saggezza announced plans to increase its Sunderland workforce.

Swedish owned Walker Filtration, which makes advanced filtration equipment from its base on the Wear Industrial Estate, also saw growth in 2018/19, as did US headquartered hearing aid battery manufacturer Rayovac which installed extra production capacity on its Stephenson Industrial Estate plant as part of a multi million pound investment programme. Council leader, Coun Graeme Miller, said: "Our international links are incredibly important to this city's success. "For us, economic development is a major priority, supporting companies to survive and thrive in the city, retaining and potentially securing repeat investment from inward investors and supporting local businesses to access overseas markets and grow. "The city's international links are equally important to our partners. The University of Sunderland now has more than 2,000 students studying in Sunderland and 240 in London from over 90 countries.”

International work during the last financial year has also seen the fourth Sunderland Shorts Film Festival – inspired by DC Shorts in Washington DC - held in the city centre in May 2018, which attracted over 200 films from 21 countries; talks with the British Embassy in Beijing which identified a new opportunity to secure funding to support learning and co-operation in health between Sunderland and the Chinese city of Harbin.These and other areas of work outlined in the latest International Strategy Annual Report are due to be discussed by the City Council's Cabinet when it meets next week.