China's Consulate-General in Sydney and the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) held a tree planting ceremony on Thursday to mark the sister province/state relationship between China's Guangdong Province and NSW.

(Photo by China Media Group)

Chinese Consul General Zhou Limin and NSW Governor Margaret Beazley jointly planted a ginkgo tree, regarded as a symbol of the sister relationship established in 1979, in the lawn at the Government House of Sydney.

"Ginkgo is the 'national tree' of China and in this case a symbol of the long-standing friendship between Guangdong and NSW. Despite the vast distance, there is a long history of exchanges and affection between the two peoples," Zhou said.

He said over the past 200 years, the Chinese community in NSW has been working hard and actively integrating into the local society, which has been serving as a bridge and bond for mutual understanding and friendship between the two sides. The ginkgo tree will demonstrate the governor's friendly feelings towards the Chinese people, and reflect the good wishes for a much stronger friendship between Guangdong and NSW.

Zhou said NSW has long been at the forefront of all Australia's states and territories in developing cooperation with China, hoping the two sides would make full use of their respective advantages and expand mutually beneficial cooperation, with a view to bringing more benefits to the two peoples and injecting more positive energy into China-Australia relations.

Beazley said the beautiful ginkgo tree has a deep historical and cultural significance. This revered tree originated in China and, as one of the oldest unchanged trees on the planet, is symbolic of friendship, resilience and longevity in the relationship between NSW and Guangdong.

"The bridges between NSW and Guangdong Province - personal, government to government and trade - are essential parts of our respective global relationships," she said.