Photo taken on Jan. 29, 2016, shows buildings of the African Union (AU) Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. (Xinhua/Pan Siwei)
ADDIS ABABA, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- The ground-breaking ceremony for China-Africa Friendship Garden was held Friday inside the premises of the African Union (AU) headquarters in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa.
The Garden, aided by the Chinese government, is regarded as another excellent project that bears witness to the China-Africa friendship.
The project which covers a total of 2,000 square meters to showcase both the African and Chinese cultural varieties, was designed by the Tongji University Architectural Design and Research Institute.
Kuang Weilin, Head of Chinese Mission to AU, said during the ground-breaking ceremony that the garden, which linked Chinese and African elements by water, road and bridge, symbolizes the friendly relations between China and Africa through the Belt and Road Initiative.
The eastern part of the garden embodied Chinese elements, themed on classical Chinese garden, which mainly includes antique skirt-roof hexagonal pavilion and Chinese style gallery, poetic rockery and waterfall, as well as flowers, grasses and bamboo woods.
The western part of the garden depicts African elements, which mainly incorporates the traditional African hut and the grassland in the shape of the map of the African continent, which presents wide, natural and vibrant characteristics.
Thomas Kwesi Quartey, AU Commission Deputy Chairperson, also said that the garden project shows the ever increasing ties between China and Africa.
"The construction of the China-Africa Friendship Garden is, in many ways, the practical demonstration of the continuing ties and friendship that exists between Africa and China," Quartey said.
The construction of the garden project is expected to be finalized this year.
"China will continue to push forward the alignment between the Belt and Road Initiative and the Agenda 2063 of the AU, and provide assistance to the AU and African states within its capacity by sticking to the principles of sincerity, real results, affinity and good faith," Kuang said.
