Houston (US), Jan 6 (IANS): An art exhibition commemorating the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the US has kicked off in Houston, the fourth largest city in the US.

Addressing the opening ceremony on Saturday, Chinese Consul General in Houston Li Qiangmin said cultural exchange would effectively enhance the mutual understanding and friendship between China and the US, calling for more cooperation between the two nations, Xinhua reported.

"We must strengthen communication and mutual trust, focus on cooperation, carefully mediate our differences, and address economic and trade frictions through negotiations," Li said.

At the ceremony, the president of Rice University David Leebron talked about the importance of the bilateral relations between the US and China.

"When we celebrate relationship today, we celebrate something very important for both of our countries, for our cultures, education, for business and for the safety and prosperity of the world," he said.

The six-day exhibition displays precious photos showing the historical stages and important achievements of Sino-US relations over the past 40 years.

The exhibition was also held to celebrate the 120th anniversary of famous Chinese artist Zhang Daqian's birth. Dozens of replicas of Zhang's works, as well as art pieces by American and Chinese artists, are exhibited.

The event was co-sponsored by American Chinese Cultural Exchange Association in Houston and several organisations in the city.