The 2017 Experience China-Guangdong Cultural Tour to Europe opened at the Chinese Culture Center in Moscow, Russian, on July 3.

More than 100 Russian officials and citizens attended the opening ceremony, attracted by the many featured exhibits from Guangdong province, such as ceramic art works, herbal tea and Chaoshan straw paintings.

Innovative achievements from Guangdong companies, including intelligent home appliances and drones, were exhibited to showcase the southern Chinese province's strength in intelligent manufacturing.

The Guangdong Information Office and Moscow Chinese Culture Center inked plans for cooperation at the opening ceremony. The Guangdong Provincial Publishing Group and the Russian Science Publishing Group signed a preliminary agreement to publish the Russian edition of the Beautiful China Trip book series.

Deng Hong (L), deputy director of the Guangdong Information Office, and Zhang Zhonghua, director of Moscow's Chinese Culture Center, sign a cooperation agreement during the 2017 Experience China-Guangdong Cultural Tour to Europe on July 3. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

China and Russia are neighboring countries enjoying a long-lasting friendship. The event serves as a bridge to facilitate cultural exchanges between the two countries, said Guo Weimin, vice-minister of China's State Council Information Office.

Shen Haixiong, head of the Guangdong Provincial Publicity Department, attended the opening ceremony saying, "Guangdong chose Russia as the first stop of its cultural tour of Europe in order to deepen the Russian public's understanding of Guangdong culture and promote economic and cultural cooperation between Guangdong and Russia."

Shen also met Alexey Volin, minister of Telecom and Mass Communications of the Russian Federation, to discuss cooperation opportunities in the fields of culture and media.

The European cultural tour will next visit Germany and Belgium in the following days.