Children from China Welfare Institute Children's Palace introduce paintings to guests from China, Japan and South Korea at the opening ceremony of the 10th China-Japan-South Korea Friendship Children's Painting Exhibition on Saturday in Shanghai. Photo: Global Times

The 10th China-Japan-South Korea Friendship Children's Painting Exhibition kicked off on Saturday in Shanghai, with 300 paintings done by children of the three countries to be exhibited at the China Welfare Institute Children's Palace for one month, witnessing a strengthened communication and friendship among the young generation from the three countries.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the normalization of China-Japan diplomatic ties and the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and South Korea. During the past 10 years, a number of children from the three countries strengthened communication and friendship through art, Chen Jing, chairman of the Shanghai People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, said at Saturday's ceremony in Shanghai. 

The painting exhibition is themed as "Beautiful, natural and harmonious home." People can feel pure and sincere emotion and inspiring power through the children's art, Chen said. Chen also hopes that the teenagers from the three countries can seize the opportunities to strengthen communication, for building a harmonious future together.

Diplomats from both Japan and South Korea also attended the event. Kim Seung-ho, consul general of the Republic of Korea in Shanghai, said that these young artists will play a leading role in the development of the three countries and he believes their future will be as bright as their pictures.

Shuichi Akamatsu, consul general of Japan in Shanghai, also congratulated the young artists whose works are on show. He said he hopes that people could be interested in the culture of neighboring countries, and strengthen communication and build friendships through this event.

These paintings cover various cultural elements from the three countries, from architecture to daily life; the young artists express their beautiful wishes through the paintings.

Li Xiang, a sophomore in Shanghai-based Tongji University, witnessed the friendship development of the three countries via the painting events. Li also went to Japan and South Korea twice in the past 10 years as her paintings were awarded. "The experiences of visiting other metropolises in other countries inspired me to learn city planning as I want to be helpful in building our own home," Li told the Global Times on Saturday.  

The event was co-organized by the Shanghai People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and other organizations in Japan and South Korea.