Polish visitors attend “Beautiful China, Beautiful Poland” exhibition. (Photo: Wang Yunsong from People’s Daily)

As part of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s upcoming trip to Poland, a series cultural exchange activities were held in the country, lighting up Warsaw with “Chinese elements.”

“Beautiful China, Beautiful Poland,” a photo exhibition celebrating Sino-Polish friendship, was held at the Polish Academy of Sciences on Tuesday.

With more than 40 photos displaying the landscape, history and cultural exchanges between the two countries, the exhibition will enable a deeper mutual understanding between the Chinese and Polish people, said Guo Weimin, Deputy Director of the State Council Information Office.

“Each photo tells a mind-blowing story,” said Rafal Tomanski, deputy-in-chief for Asia and Pacific of Rzeczpospolita, a Polish national media outlet. “From these pictures, people not only can stand in awe at the long-standing history of the friendly exchange between the two peoples, but also feels the profound traditional friendship,” he added.

A Chinese-themed book sale exhibition was also launched in Warsaw that afternoon. The month-long exhibition will display hundreds of books in different genres from 100 bookstores in Warsaw, Krakow, Gdansk and other 6 cities across the country. Those books cover Chinese politics, economy, literature, history and culture.

Apart from English-version books, 20 books written in Polish will also be showcased in a bid to appeal to more Polish readers through Chinese culture, history and modern society.

On the same day, the inauguration ceremony of the first Chinese book center in Poland was held at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities. According to Andrzej Eliasz, the University President, the center will boost Poland-China friendship as it offers more convenient access to Chinese books.

“People in Poland now can follow China’s latest situation and development and gain a better perception of Chinese culture as well,” Eliasz explained.

After the unveiling ceremony, China Foreign Language Publishing Administration donated over 200 works on Chinese economics, politics and culture to the University. In the following five years, China will give away 300 Chinese books to the Eastern Asia Civilization Center of the University each year. 

People stop by Chinese-themed books, such as Xi Jinping: Governance of China and the Analects of Confucius in a bookstore at Warsaw Chopin Airport. (Photo: Wang Yunsong from People’s Daily)