Editor's note: The 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting will be held in Gyeongju, South Korea, on October 31 and November 1. CGTN's "APEC Stories" series will showcase cooperation and culture of the 21 APEC economies through visual storytelling.

Xi'an, the capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, boasts a history of more than 3,100 years and once served as the capital for 13 dynasties of China. As a vital hub for trade and cultural exchange, Xi'an has long been China's gateway to the world since ancient times. In 1994, Xi'an established a sister-city relationship with Gyeongju, a historic city in South Korea.

In recent years, cultural and people-to-people exchanges between Xi'an and Gyeongju have continued to deepen. This August, the two cities jointly held an exhibition in Gyeongju showcasing calligraphy, fine arts and photography, featuring more than 270 works of artists from both China and South Korea. The two cities have also maintained close communication in the fields of archaeology and cultural heritage preservation.