In later September 2020, the incumbent Mayor of Cologne Henriette Reker was reelected with nearly 60% of the votes. She will serve another term from November 2020 till 2025.

Ms. Reker is the first ever female mayor of the Germany city and upholds friendly foreign policy toward China. Since she took office in 2015, she has put a premium on her city's friendship with Beijing, as evidenced by her choice of Beijing as the destination of her first official visit abroad during the term. In 2019, which marked the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, she received the Chinese Government Friendship Award.