The ASEAN-China Center opened on April 16 its fifth My ASEAN and China Multimedia Art Exhibition Series on Wednesday with a focus on Laos, as the country celebrates its new year this week.

The exhibition was held in Yunnan Agricultural University in Yunnan province which borders Laos. It presented six oil paintings and 86 photos of Laos shot by Chinese-American Artist Rita Zhao.

"Through Rita's camera, I hope the exhibition can consolidate the mutual understanding between the Laotian and Chinese peoples so that the two countries have more willingness to cooperate," said the center's secretary-general, Ma Mingqiang.

Laotian Ambassador to China Somdy Bounkhoum agreed, saying: "The exhibition offers a good opportunity for Laos to promote our country and culture. It opens a door for people who have never visited Laos."

The ambassador hopes that the exhibition can arouse curiosity among the Chinese public, so that more Chinese can visit his country and vice versa.

Two-way personnel inter-flow between ASEAN and China exceeded 18 million in 2013. "We hope this multimedia art exhibition, 'Peaceful Laos', will help boost and energize the eagerness of people-to-people exchanges and enhance ASEAN-China connectivity," the ambassador said.

This year is the start of the second decade since the forging of a strategic partnership between China and ASEAN.

Earlier in April, China and ASEAN officially launched the China-ASEAN Cultural Exchange Year.

"Cultural exchanges play a very important role in bilateral ties. I hope the two countries can deepen their friendship and improve ties in politics, economic and people-to-people exchanges in the future," the Laotian ambassador said.

The Chinese government attaches great importance to developing friendly relations and strengthening mutually beneficial cooperation with ASEAN. Trade volume reached $443.6 billion in 2013. China is ASEAN's largest trading partner, and ASEAN is China's third-largest trade partner.