Special cultural events celebrating the upcoming 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1 were held in Nigeria's Abuja on Tuesday and Saudi Arabia's Riyadh on Thursday.

"Written in the Sky: My China Story" is a series of cultural events launched by China Media Group in March 2024 to gather individual stories related to China from around the world.

At the event in Abuja, attendees watched a documentary titled "Close Friends across Continents," a collection of stories featuring mutually beneficial cooperation between China and African countries, the connection between their peoples and the mutual learning of civilizations.

Yu Dunhai, Chinese ambassador to Nigeria, said since the establishment of diplomatic ties more than half a century ago, the bilateral relationship has stood the test of international changes and grown stronger.

As the two countries have elevated their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership, China and Nigeria will work together to advance the modernization process and make greater contributions to the well-being of their peoples, as well as safeguard world peace and prosperity, said Yu.

China has played an important role in driving economic growth, job creation and infrastructure improvements in Nigeria and across the African continent, added Jafaru Yakubu, chairman of the House Committee on China/Nigeria Parliamentary Friendship Group.

At the event held in Riyadh, attendees shared their China stories.

Saleh Alsagri, former cultural counselor of the Saudi Embassy in China, said he had witnessed the rapid development of people-to-people exchanges between the two countries. At the beginning of his tenure as cultural counselor, the number of Saudi students in China was less than 80, and in just four years, the number had exceeded 1,200.

The students are now playing an important role in the economic and sci-tech fields in Saudi Arabia, and also contributing to the promotion of friendly relations between the two countries, said Alsagri.

Relations between Saudi Arabia and China are developing at a high level, said Yahiya Mahmoud bin Junaid, chairman of the Saudi Center for Research and Intercommunication Knowledge.

He noted that the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by China is highly compatible with Saudi Vision 2030, and that the two sides have maintained close exchanges and cooperation in political, economic and cultural fields.

Guests at the event expressed hope of deepening cultural exchanges and cooperation with China, consolidating friendship from generation to generation, and jointly creating a better future for the bilateral relationship.

(Cover: A poster for the cultural event "Written in the Sky: My China Story" in both Chinese and Arabic. /CFP)