ADDIS ABABA, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- The first China-Ethiopia Film and TV Festival commenced Saturday in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, aiming at promoting cultural exchange among the BRICS member states through collaborating in the film industry.

The groundbreaking event marked the establishment of a new partnership between China and Ethiopia in the creative industry with a special focus on introducing each other's films, strengthening cross-culture exchanges, and sharing knowledge, technologies and experiences.

Speaking at the event, Chinese Ambassador to Ethiopia Chen Hai said as ancient civilizations, both China and Ethiopia boast a long history, splendid culture, beautiful natural scenery and diverse ethnic customs that can potentially help them produce high-quality films, dramas and TV shows.

"This China-Ethiopia Film and TV Festival is a groundbreaking event to promote their film industries, bilateral relations, cultural exchanges, mutual understanding and friendship among the peoples of the two countries," Chen said.

Ethiopia and China have enjoyed a long history of friendly cooperation mainly in the fields of construction, infrastructure development and manufacturing.

The festival is believed to serve as a platform for cultural exchanges and allow filmmakers of the BRICS member states to work together, share experiences and present their works to global audiences.

Shibru Mamo, director general for Public Diplomacy of Ethiopia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, emphasized the significance of the festival in strengthening people-to-people relations among BRICS member states through their movies, plays and TV shows.

"This festival also represents the strong and historic partnership between Ethiopia and China, a relationship that is continuously growing in scope and depth in economic, political, infrastructure and cultural collaborations," Mamo said, noting the festival will not only serve as a tool to promote cultural exchanges among BRICS member states, but also help scale up the existing economic and political cooperation between Ethiopia, China, and other BRICS member states.

The three-day festival features a total of 12 Chinese and Ethiopian films and documentaries. A Chinese documentary film entitled "The Road to Prosperity," which highlights China's transformative development journey, showcasing its people's hard work, resilience and commitment to growth, was presented at the opening ceremony of the festival. ■