An ice replica of the Pyramid of Kukulkan is on display at theHarbin Ice and Snow World in Harbin, Northeast China's Heilongjiang province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
 
An online activity marking the 50th anniversary of the establishment of China's diplomatic relations with Mexico was held in Harbin, capital city of Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, on Wednesday.
 
The Chinese Foreign Ministry, Harbin Municipal Government and Mexican Embassy in China co-hosted the event.
 
QiuXiaoqi, special representative of the Chinese government for Latin American affairs, along with Jesús Seade, Mexican ambassador to China, and Cheng Xiaoming, vice mayor of Harbin, attended the event and delivered speeches for an online audience.
 
Online attendees also witnessed the completion of an ice sculpture named "the eternal return of the Sun", located in the 23rd Harbin Ice and Snow World.
 
The ice sculpture restores the appearance and architectural features of the Pyramid of Kukulkan. Located in the north of the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, the pyramid is a famousrelic of ancient Mayan civilization.
   
An ice replica of the Pyramid of Kukulkan is on display at theHarbin Ice and Snow World in Harbin, Northeast China's Heilongjiang province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
 
More than 500 workers and sculptors spent seven days completing the 9.5-meter-tall ice tower, which covers an area of 440 square meters. The construction of the ice replica was authorized by Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History.
 
"Theice sculpture offers tourists a chance to experience the great artistic and architectural achievements of the mysterious Mayan civilization," Qiu said. "It will also become a symbol of the great friendship between people in the two countries.”
 
"The completion of the ice sculpture in Harbin highlights the power of friendship and cooperation," Seade said. "I believe the frequent exchanges and visits between the Chinese and Mexican people will certainly deepen the friendship and enhance mutual understanding between the two countries.”
 
"This cooperation on ice and snow can be seen as a starting point for Harbin to strengthen China-Mexico friendship and promote exchanges," Cheng said. "With the strong support of the foreign ministries of China and Mexico and the Mexican Embassy in China, we will make more efforts to carry out exchanges and cooperation with other regions of Mexico in economy, trade, science and technology, agriculture, culture and education, tourism and sports in the future.”
 
An ice replica of the Pyramid of Kukulkan is on display at theHarbin Ice and Snow World in Harbin, Northeast China's Heilongjiang province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]