On March 1, 2025, the 196th Philadelphia Flower Show kicked off grandly at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in the United States. As America's largest and oldest international flower exhibition, this year's event, themed "Gardens of the Future," captured global attention. Qingdao, China, the sole international participating city outside the U.S., showcased itself as "Vibrant Qingdao: A City of Natural Splendor and Cultural Richness," presenting to the world an Eastern coastal metropolis blending traditional heritage with modern vitality.
The US-China Business and Tourism Association (USCBTA) served as the core organizer, leveraging its role as a bridge in U.S.-China economic, trade, cultural, and tourism exchanges. Collaborating with the Qingdao Municipal Government and the Chinese Consulate General in New York, USCBTA co-hosted the China (Qingdao) - U.S. (Philadelphia) Culture and Tourism Promotion Event. Through multi-faceted activities including intangible cultural heritage performances, tourism resource presentations, and city image exhibitions, Qingdao not only captivated Philadelphia residents with its unique charm but also laid the groundwork for deeper bilateral cooperation.
At the promotion event, Chen Li, Consul General of the Chinese Consulate General in New York, attended the flower show and delivered remarks. Geng Tao, Member of the Standing Committee and Deputy Mayor of Qingdao Municipal Government, along with approximately 150 attendees from Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, and various sectors, were present.
Consul General Chen Li highlighted Qingdao as a "modern paradise, international meeting hall, and reform pilot zone," emphasizing that China's tangible development achievements demonstrate its steadfast commitment to high-quality growth and expanded opening-up. Noting that China's economy grew by 5% last year and set new records in foreign trade, he stressed that a developing China will create more opportunities for all nations, including the U.S. "The essence of U.S.-China economic and trade relations is mutual benefit and win-win cooperation," he said. "The two countries share broad common interests and vast cooperation potential, and can become partners and friends, achieving mutual success and prosperity. China's door of openness will always remain wide open, and we warmly welcome more friends from Pennsylvania to visit China and explore Qingdao."
Matt Rader, President of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, praised Qingdao's exhibition for embodying the "Gardens of the Future" theme through its philosophical wisdom of "harmony between heaven and earth" and natural aesthetics of "mountains, seas, cities, and bays," reflecting the pursuit of sustainability and inclusivity. "Qingdao's garden not only tells Chinese stories through floral language but also demonstrates the possibility of harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature through creative integration of intangible cultural heritage and modern landscaping," he added. Rader concluded by thanking USCBTA for building a cross-cultural dialogue platform and expressed anticipation for future collaborations with more Chinese cities to deepen people-to-people exchanges and explore global visions of green development.
Deputy Mayor Geng Tao emphasized Qingdao and Philadelphia's significant cooperation potential as fellow port cities. Centered on Qingdao's four strengths—historical culture, intangible cultural experiences, coastal resources, and international ports—he proposed visions for pragmatic cooperation across various fields to write a new chapter of mutual benefit.
USCBTA President Zhang Wenlong stated that the association will continue promoting normalized exchanges in culture, tourism, and trade between Qingdao and Philadelphia, fostering growing people-to-people friendship between China and the U.S.
At the event, Qingdao's intangible cultural heritage inheritors and artists presented classic performances such as the Peking Opera piece Ode to Pear Blossoms and Laixi Puppet Show Perfect Harmony. These showcases highlighted Qingdao's profound cultural heritage. Interactive experiences like Lao Mountain tea ceremonies, traditional incense-making, and paper-cutting attracted numerous visitors, becoming highlights of the exhibition. As one Philadelphia audience member exclaimed, "These performances and crafts made us feel the vitality of Chinese culture firsthand!"
The successful debut of Qingdao's garden is not only another exemplary case of USCBTA's international cultural exchange efforts but also injects new momentum into U.S.-China city cooperation. Echoing the Philadelphia Flower Show's century-old tradition of "floral bonds," Qingdao leveraged this trans-Pacific event to convey its open and inclusive spirit to the world, penning a fresh chapter in U.S.-China people-to-people friendship.
