Photo exhibition marks 38-year friendship between Xiamen, Cebu

Government officials including Zhang Quan, director general of the Xiamen foreign affairs office, Maria Antonina Mendoza Oblena, consul general of the Philippines in Xiamen, Pirawat Atsavapranee, consul general of Thailand in Xiamen, and Nelson Ng Chiun Ming, consul general of Singapore in Xiamen, attend the opening ceremony of the photography exhibition on Oct 26. [Photo/fao.xm.gov.cn]

A photography exhibition marking the 38th anniversary of the establishment of the sister-city relationship between Xiamen in East China's Fujian province and Cebu, the Philippines kicked off on the fifth floor of SM City Xiamen on Oct 26 and will run through Nov 7.

Zhang Quan, director general of the Xiamen foreign affairs office, and Maria Antonina Mendoza Oblena, consul general of the Philippines in Xiamen, attended the opening ceremony in person, while Michael Rama, mayor of Cebu, addressed the event via live video.

In his speech, Rama reviewed his visits to Xiamen, which he said left him with fond memories. He also expressed gratitude to the Xiamen government for its donations of fire engines and anti-epidemic materials.

Oblena said that both Xiamen and Cebu are port cities with enchanting garden-like scenery and have achieved fruitful results over 38 years of exchanges. She hopes that the exhibition will help strengthen the friendships and mutual trust between the two sides.

Zhang noted that Xiamen and Cebu are faced with significant opportunities and bright prospects for deepening cooperation. He is expecting that the two cities continue to work together to strengthen China-Philippine friendships and create more benefits for people on both sides.

Xiamen and Cebu have carried out frequent exchanges and cooperation in trade, culture and education since the establishment of the sister-city ties in October 1984. Cebu has designated Oct 26 as "Cebu-Xiamen friendship day".