The Chinese city of Xiamen plans to build a Xiamen Garden in its friendship city of Trier, Germany.

"We have finished the construction drawings. Everything is ready and we can start construction as soon as the administrative approval is completed," said Chen Hongwei, designer of Xiamen Garden.

In 2010, Xiamen officially became a sister city with Trier, the birthplace of Karl Marx and Germany's oldest town.

Xiamen, Fujian province, is a beautiful seaside city that enjoys the reputation of "International Garden City". It was one of the first four special economic zones in China and one of the 10 major tourist cities in China.

Trier is a German city in the Moselle wine region. It is situated in a valley between low vine-covered hills of red sandstone in the west of the state of Rhineland-Palatinate and is near the border with Luxembourg.

In 2013, Trier suggested building Xiamen Garden at the University of Trier. Since last year, both sides have discussed the design and division of responsibilities.

Chen says the garden, which will be about 1,600 square meters, will showcase the local architectural styles of Xiamen, with a brick-wood structure, typical Chinese pavilion and stone boat.

Both cities have also strengthened their exchanges in tourism, education, arts and sports in the past few years. Figures from Trier shows that the Karl Marx House museum receives more than 400,000 Chinese tourists every year, and, as 2018 marks the 200th anniversary of Marx's birth, it is seen as a great occasion to strengthen ties.

Trier is also keen to renovate the German Garden in Xiamen's Garden Expo to increase the city's presence in Xiamen. This renovation project is also under discussion.

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(China Daily 10/29/2015 page12)