Nanchang, the capital city of Jiangxi Province, lights up the Twin Towers of the Greenland Central Plaza to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between China and Mexico on Feb. 14. [Photo courtesy of Foreign Affairs Office of the Nanchang Municipal People's Government] 

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Mexico, 15 pairs of sister cities in both countries lit up their landmark buildings in the main colors of Chinese and Mexican national flags on February 14. Nanchang, the capital city of east China's Jiangxi Province, presented a light show on the Twin Towers of the Greenland Central Plaza, to mark the occasion, and also the 5th anniversary of its official partnership with the Mexican city Mérida.

Spicy foods brought the two cities together

Located on the Yucatán Peninsula in southeast Mexico, Mérida is the capital of Yucatán state. Adjacent to the Gulf of Mexico, it abounds with seafood, tropical vegetables and fruits, and, particularly, a large variety of Mexican cuisines.

From September 28 to October 7, 2017, a group of chefs and performing artists from Mérida gave performances at the 16th Shengjin Tower Temple Fair in Nanchang. That was the first time Mérida had even sent a delegation to the annual temple fair, a signature event of Nanchang, which has since become an important platform for cultural exchange between Mexico and China.