The Weihai-South Korea Sister Cities Youth Painting Exhibition and the launch ceremony of the "China-South Korea Cultural Exchange Year" activities were held on Nov 11 in Weihai, Shandong province.

Over 110 paintings created by teenagers and collected by Weihai's sister cities and friendly organizations in South Korea were displayed during the exhibition.

The Weihai-South Korea Sister Cities Youth Painting Exhibition opens on Nov 11. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

"Friendship between the people is the key to State-to-State relations, and friendship between the people lies in mutual understanding. This painting exhibition is conducive to promoting closer people-to-people ties between the two countries," said Sun Yebao, an official from the Office of Foreign Affairs Commission of CPC Shandong Provincial Committee.

"As the closest city between China and South Korea, Weihai has maintained increasingly close economic and trade exchanges and continuously deepened cultural exchanges with South Korea, bringing rich cooperation achievements," said Sun.

Officials pose for a group photo at the launch ceremony for the cultural exchange event. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Sun expressed hope that the two sides will continue to hold more colorful and diversified exchange activities in the future.

Since 1995, Weihai has successively established sister cities or cooperative relations with six South Korean cities such as Bucheon and Gunsan, and 22 sister cities ties at the county level. The two sides have maintained constant exchanges and close cooperation in various fields.

Paintings created by teenagers are exhibited. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]