On May 10, the "Blossoming Encounter of East and West: Diplomats' Cultural Exchange Salon", hosted by the Mentougou District People's Government of Beijing Municipality and organized by CRI Online, took place at Jingxi Yueji Park, Mentougou District.

Zhang Shichun, Deputy Director of the Mentougou District Culture and Tourism Bureau, Beijing, delivers a speech.

During the sharing session themed "A Beautiful World", Zhang Shichun, Deputy Director of the Mentougou District Culture and Tourism Bureau, introduced the "blossoming" approach enabling the ecosystem regeneration in Mentougou. According to Zhang, relying on Baihua Mountain National Nature Reserve, Mentougou launched the "Welcome Home Leopard" program, aiming to promote the return of the North-Chinese leopards (Panthera pardus orientalis) to their original habitat. As Mentougou's ecological restoration efforts have yielded results, stargazing experiences, birdwatching activities, cloud-watching activities, and many activities for natural sciences education at Baihua Mountain have been popular among tourists. Driven by a development model combining intangible cultural heritage and cultural tourism, the ancient colored glaze factory in Liuliqu Village, known as the "Colored Glaze Village of China", has been transformed into an industrial heritage park marked by cultural creativity. Moreover, Mentougou has developed six thematic hiking trails based on the high-quality resources of Jingxi Ancient Road, enabling tourists to experience the vicissitudes and glory of this ancient road while wandering in the great nature.

H. E. Mr. Andrey Tehov, Ambassador of Bulgaria to China, delivers a speech.

Bulgaria is renowned as the "Land of Roses", famous for its rose cultivation and rose-based products. H. E. Mr. Andrey Tehov, Ambassador of Bulgaria to China, said in the sharing session that the Bulgarian rose industry has a fairly long history and the rose cultivation began in the country as early as the 16th century. Tehov continued that Bulgaria contributes 70 percent of the world's rose oil supply, and China is one of the largest importers of Bulgarian rose oil. "I'm sure that mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation between Bulgaria and China abounds in opportunities, and our two countries have vast room for cooperation in experience exchange and technology sharing, which deserves more in-depth exploration and development," said Tehov.

(Source: CRI Online)