Suzhou and Victoria marked the 45th anniversary of their sister-city ties and the "Suzhou Week" event with an opera, music and a new friendship agreement between their landmark gardens.

The Chinese city of Suzhou is located in Jiangsu province and the Canadian city of Victoria is the capital of British Columbia, which is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast.

The ceremony, held earlier this month in Victoria, Canada, at The Butchart Gardens, brought together government representatives from both cities, leaders of garden institutions, Chinese community organizations and local residents.

The event also celebrated the 55th anniversary of China-Canada diplomatic relations.

Zeng Zhi, acting consul general of China in Vancouver, said the anniversary highlights the long-term benefits of collaboration between the two countries.

"Over the past 55 years, since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Canada, exchanges at all levels have become more frequent, and the interests of the two countries have become deeply integrated.

"This has truly brought many tangible benefits to the people of both countries," he said.

Zeng praised the partnership between Suzhou and Victoria, which began in 1980, as "a vivid example of the long-term friendship between the peoples of the two countries".

Suzhou is a cultural city with more than 2,500 years of history. The Classical Gardens of Suzhou were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1997 and 2000, earning the city global recognition as the "City of Gardens".

Established in 1904, The Butchart Gardens has grown from a reclaimed limestone quarry into a lush sanctuary of blooms, now designated a National Historic Site of Canada and celebrated as a paragon of Western horticultural design.

"Today is especially important to us here at The Gardens because it was 10 years ago, we were honored to receive our beautiful bronze dragon fountain as a gift from Suzhou," said Dave Cowen, chief executive officer of The Butchart Gardens.

"We hope this beautiful fountain stands for many years, celebrating peaceful friendship and travel between our two countries," he said.

Cowen said the history of the gardens is deeply intertwined with Victoria's Chinese community, noting that Chinese workers played a key role in transforming the former quarry into what is now the Sunken Garden.

Enduring value

Victoria Mayor Marianne Alto said the milestone reflects the enduring value of person-to-person connections. "It is so critical that we actually have the ability to … create those relationships," she said.

During the ceremony on Sept 9, the audience was treated to a Kunqu opera performance, featuring an excerpt from The Peony Pavilion, a UNESCO-listed intangible cultural heritage. Musicians from the Suzhou Symphony Orchestra and Victoria performed a rendition of the Canadian folk song Red River Valley and the Chinese classic Jasmine Flower.

Zeng Zhi said the event's significance lies in its focus on shared values. "Suzhou is a historical and cultural city, most famous for its gardens. Their exquisite design is world-renowned," he told China Daily.

"Victoria is most famous for its natural scenery, its coastline and unique environment. Although their focus is different, they share a common idea — the concept of harmony between people and nature.

"I think this idea was one of the reasons the two cities became sister cities in the first place," he said.

He added that cultural and tourism exchanges between China and Canada are growing with more direct flights connecting the two countries.

Sheryl Karras, from the University of Victoria, who attended the event, said the event was a privilege to attend. "It's wonderful to have an event commemorating the Suzhou City and Victoria City sister-city relationship," she told China Daily.

During the ceremony, The Butchart Gardens and Suzhou's Lion Forest Garden signed a friendship agreement through their representatives.

Qian Yucheng, deputy director of the Suzhou Municipal Administrative Bureau of Gardens, said the past four decades of cooperation had produced "fruitful results" in culture, education, gardens and sports.

gaoyang@chinadailyusa.com