[video/chinadaily.com.cn]

Heze sets an example of how a city can make use of their treasure, like the peony culture, to connect with the world, said Julio Herraiz España, deputy head of the Embassy of Spain in China, in an interview during the Heze Peony International Communication Forum on April 9 in Heze, Shandong province.

The city has taken full advantage of its peony culture, not only through the beauty, the poetry and art, but also through the commercial and industrial applications, he added. 

Dubbed the "Peony Capital of China" for its role as a key base for peony production, research, export and sightseeing, Heze is home to a whole industrial chain in the peony industry.

Heze peonies come in 10 types and 1,280 varieties, and its number of newly cultivated varieties accounts for 80 percent of the total in China.

The Heze Peony International Communication Forum aims to strengthen the international communication of peony culture and build a platform to boost cultural exchanges and mutual learning.