Sun Zhijun, deputy head of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said cultural exchanges are an important part of the relations between China and the United States.

Addressing the opening ceremony of "2018 Experience China - Cultural Exploration of West China in the United States", which kicked off Friday evening in Houston, Texas, Sun said that cultural interactivities and dialogues will help improve the understanding of each other.

The one-week event focuses on cultural exploration of western China, which has been home to many ethnic groups since ancient times. Throughout history, cultures of the West and East have convened, collided and converged in the region, forming mixed culture and diverse art. The globally renowned Silk Road also finds its origin there.

The event features the documentary Xinjiang Story which depicts the life of people from different ethnic groups in western China, the documentary Roof of the World, which shows the harmonious daily life of those living on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and an exhibition presenting the cultural diversity in the region.