Sister-city relationship brings Beijing, Washington D.C. closer

BEIJING, Nov. 28, 2019 /CNW/ -- To commemorate the 35th anniversary of its sister-city relationship with Beijing, Washington D.C. hosted a series of events this week, presenting an opportunity for the two capitals to reflect on their constructive ties, according to the Beijing Municipal Culture and Tourism Bureau.

While hailing the milestone, both sides agreed that the relationship has brought the two cities closer. They called for broadening ties to set an example for relations at the sub-national level between China and the United States.

As part of the celebration, the 2019 Beijing Day Cultural Festival was staged on Friday at the Ronald Reagan Building in downtown Washington D.C..

Executive Vice Mayor of Beijing, Lin Keqing, who headed a delegation to Washington D.C. to mark the anniversary, welcomed the attendance of local residents to the event and expressed his desire to promote the Chinese capital.

The fest, co-sponsored by the Beijing Municipal Government and the Office of the D.C. Secretary, showcased some features of traditional Chinese culture, including paper-cutting, fan-painting, and calligraphy, as well as a photo exhibition displaying Beijing's landmarks and moments of some notable events the city held.

During a concert at the Ronald Reagan Building on Thursday night to kick off "the Beijing Day" event, Chinese artists performed an ensemble with the Guqin, a classical Chinese musical instrument that has a history of thousands of years.

"Beijing and Washington D.C. have developed a strong friendship with each other, and become a role model of sister-city exchanges," said Cui Tiankai, Chinese ambassador to the United States.

"For the past 35 years, Beijing and Washington D.C. have deepened exchanges and cooperation in various areas, allowing them to forge a friendship as solid as mountains and as long-running as rivers," according to Lin.

Sister-city ties between China and the United States began shortly after the two nations established a diplomatic relationship in 1979. Beijing and Washington D.C. twinned in 1984.

"For 40 years, friendship and cooperation have been a keynote of China-U.S. relations. There is a lasting driving force for our relations to move forward," said Cui.

"The sister-city relationship is an important way to enhance the people's friendship and sub-national cooperation. It provides a strong momentum for bilateral relations between the two countries," he added.

Jan Kalicki, a visitor who works at the Wilson Center, a Washington D.C.-based think tank, told that he thinks the event is "a wonderful expression of variety in China". He believes the relationship between Beijing and Washington D.C. is an important part of ties between China and the United States, while expressing hope for stronger people-to-people exchanges in the future.

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SOURCE The Beijing Municipal Culture and Tourism Bureau

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