The 2025 Wuxi International Cherry Blossom Festival and the 38th Anniversary of the Construction of the Sino-Japanese Cherry Blossom Friendship Forest kicked off on Wednesday, highlighting Wuxi's international connections and its role as a hub for cultural exchange.

The event, which originated in the 1980s from citizen-level exchanges between China and Japan, centers on the planting of cherry blossom trees. In 1988, Chinese and Japanese citizens planted 1,500 cherry blossom seedlings at the Yuantouzhu scenic area, marking the beginning of the "cherry blossom friendship" between Wuxi and Japan.

Today, the scenic area boasts over 30,000 cherry blossom trees across 650,000 square meters. Since 2014, Wuxi has used the annual cherry blossom planting activity as a platform for international cooperation and local exchanges.

More than 3 million visitors are expected to visit Wuxi during the event, solidifying the city's status as one of the world's top three cherry blossom viewing destinations, alongside Tokyo and Washington.

Sun Wei, deputy mayor of Wuxi, emphasized the significance of the Sino-Japanese Cherry Blossom Friendship Forest as a symbol of the 38-year-long exchange between the two nations.

"With over 30,000 cherry blossom trees flourishing, the forest has become a unique symbol of Wuxi, set against the backdrop of the stunning Taihu Lake," he said.