The event of Xi’an Cultural Day at the Taipei Int’l Flora Exposition was launched on the morning of the March 16th. Mr. Sun Qingyun, member of Standing Committee of the CPC Shaanxi Provincial Committee, Secretary of the CPC Xi'an Municipal Committee, and Mr. Hau Lung-bin, Mayor of Taipei, jointly unveiled the sculpture of the Chang’an Flower at the Taipei Flora Expo site. Secretary Sun sincerely invited compatriots from Taiwan to visit the International Horticultural Exposition in Xi’an, a city with a long and prosperous history.

Sun Qingyun, member of Standing Committee of the CPC Shaanxi Provincial Committee, Secretary of the CPC Xi'an Municipal Committee, and Mr. Hau Lung-bin, Mayor of Taipei, display the mascots of the Xi’an International Horticultural Exposition and Taipei Flora Expo.

In his speech, Sun Qingyun pointed out that the two expos in two cities have both strived to fully showcase the concept of “Harmony between Nature & Mankind”. Taipei and Xi’an are tied together closely thanks to common concepts and goals. We experienced two different kinds of urban culture, but with the same direction and spirit of the two cities. Xi’an Cultural Day in Taipei Flora Expo was a valuable opportunity to enhance cultural exchange between the two cities. The event will further strengthen communication and collaboration between Xi’an and Taipei in various areas such as the economy, tourism and culture, etc.

Secretary Sun said that Taipei is a coastal city surrounded by seas and wind on all sides, featuring a “sea culture” with the combination of eastern and western civilizations; while Xi’an is a historic city mixing Han and Tang Dynasties culture with a modern ecological civilization, and presenting an innate charisma. These two cities are very unique, but at the same time share many common qualities. When the two cities appeared together on the global stage, not only did they thoroughly display profound Chinese culture, they also gave vivid interpretations of the concept of “Harmony between Nature & Mankind”.

Sun Qingyun, on behalf of the Organizing Committee of the Xi’an International Horticultural Exposition, heartfully invited Taiwan compatriots to visit the International Horticultural Exposition in Xi’an. He said that Xi’an is a city featuring a combination of ancient and modern civilizations, distinguished views of old and new urban areas, and spectacular characteristics of cultural and ecological resources. The Int’l Horticultural Exposition in Xi’an will present the world with the beauties of horticultural landscape design, environmentally friendly science and technology, traditional Chinese culture and modern city. Just like the Taipei Flora Expo, the Xi’an International Horticultural Exposition will be a world-class exposition with great diversity and integrity covering the economy, culture, science and technology and many other areas.

According to Mayor Hau, the successful events of the Taipei Flora Expo and Xi’an International Horticultural Exposition will enhance exchange and cooperation in the economy, tourism and culture between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait, as well as showcase the cultural features and horticultural beauties of the two sides. He believes that they will certainly bring to the world great treasures of progress, innovation, inclusiveness, and harmony.

Last year, Taipei and Xi’an signed Memorandum on the Cooperation between Taipei Int'l Flora Expo 2010 and Xi'an Int'l Horticultural Expo 2011, launching a new starting point of the horticultural relay and cultural exchange and cooperation between the two sides. The Xi’an Yard, which is located at the Taipei Int’l Flora Exposition, is featured in the ancient capital of Chang’an. We can see the profound cultural assets of Xi’an in the yard which has also put the common concept of ecological and environmental protection of the two expos into practice, making it the most attractive spot in the Flora Expo site. Xi’an Cultural Day in Taipei Flora Expo adopted a simple but inviting opening ceremony, where people could enjoy original Qin opera, traditional Taiwan opera and the folk opera of Shaanxi. Hau Lung-bin, Mayor of Taipei, met with the delegation led by Sun Qingyun before the opening ceremony. After the ceremony, they visited the “Xi’an Yard” in Xi’an Park of the Taipei Flora Expo together. They also watched the performances in art of light sketching and simple writing, folk kite making, paper cutting, and clay sculpture, before later accepting interviews from journalists. Wang Jun, member of Standing Committee of the CPC Xi'an Municipal Committee and Director of the Publicity Department of Xi’an City, famous movie star Lu Yan, renowned director Wang Quan’an, well-known calligraphers Qiu Zongkang and Shi Ruifang, as well as the Head of Xinzhu County Chiu Ching-chun, Chief Executive Director of the Taipei Flora Expo Chen Hsiung-wen, and famous musician and Director of the International Affairs Department of Taiwan University Shen Tung, also participated in the event.