[Photo/Chinaculture.org]

Two exhibitions exploring Chinese culture and tourism in Shanghai and Shandong will be held at the China Cultural Center in Brussels from May 16 until May 31.

Through two exhibitions, fragments of Shandong and Shanghai will be transported to the heart of Europe for the very first time, to be discovered by Belgian and European enthusiasts alike.

"We wish to promote communication, mutual learning, as well as friendship between civilizations by holding such exhibition of creative products internationally," said Tang Shifen, of the Shanghai Museum, during the opening ceremony.

"We have brought our precious collection of popular art here and are delighted to share the charm of Shandong folk art with our friends in Belgium, spanning 2,500 years of history from the ancient city of Shandong linked with modern Brussels," said Liu Yanchun, of the Shandong Art Museum.

The exhibition "The Beautiful Shandong" offers more insight into the cultural and natural resources of this province.

Collected by the Shandong Art Museum, a range of works of Shandong folk arts will be displayed at the Center.

The Spring Festival pictures and handmade kites show the local customs of the people of Shandong and how folk arts enabled them to enrich their environment.

"The Amazing Shanghai, Creative Cultural Products from the Shanghai Museum" will focus on creative cultural products from the Shanghai Museum and sheds light on different aspects of Shanghai's culture using various themes that run throughout the exhibition.

From a look into the past of the literati to the modern fusion with Disney, these creative cultural products cover a lot of ground, with Shanghai's elegance being the common thread. Throughout the exhibition, ancient cultural relics will be exhibited to the public.

The China Weeks is part of a global effort. A total of 19 China National Tourist Offices and 34 China Cultural Centers overseas joined hands to host various events globally during the following two months, presenting beautiful China with different cultural activities for increasing inbound tourism.