Friendship between China and Mongolia lies in mutual affinity and deepening understanding between the two peoples, Mongolian Ambassador to China Badral Tuvshin said at the opening of a painting exhibition at the Culture and Information Center of the Mongolian Embassy in China on Friday. Cultural exchange is an important part of this, he said.

Showcasing the close cultural ties between the two neighbors, the cultural center has become an important platform for cultural exchange between Mongolia and China.

The exhibition, A Beam of Light, showcased the works of Purevdorj Sodgerel, a PhD candidate at the Academy of Arts and Design, Tsinghua University.

Though born in Mongolia's capital Ulaanbaatar, Sodgerel has lived in China and pursued her academic career here for more than 20 years. She speaks fluent Chinese and is a livid example of the increasingly closer people-to-people exchanges between the two neighbors.

Featuring patterns, her works have integrated the Mongolian essence and techniques of Chinese painting. The artist believes that beneath the patterns lie the values, worldview, life and extraordinary intelligence of people. While light is the source of the colors that illuminate the world.