Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Photo exhibit at CityCenter highlights U.S.-China relations

Amanda Finnegan

Middle school students from Beijing tour the “Looking Back after 30 Years” photo exhibit Tuesday morning at Crystals at CityCenter. The exhibit is on display until Feb. 22.

"Looking Back after 30 Years"

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Nestled between the high-end retail shops of Crystals at CityCenter are photos of U.S. presidents shaking hands with Chinese leaders and the historic 1971 Ping-Pong match between the two countries.

The photos are part of a public exhibit called “Looking Back after 30 Years,” marking the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the U.S. and China.

MGM Mirage executives, along with Madame Li Xiaolin, daughter of former Chinese President Li; Feng Xie, the minister and deputy chief of mission for the Chinese Embassy; and Chinese Consul General Gao Zhansheng, opened the exhibit Tuesday morning at Crystals.

Through the main four sections of the exhibit — Recalling History, Friendship Between People, Economic Exchanges and Win-Win Cooperation — the photos document the nations’ interactions throughout the last 30 years in the fields of politics, trade, culture, education and sports.

The traveling exhibit is a project developed by The Chinese Peoples’ Association for Friendship with Foreign Counties, an organization in which Li serves as vice president.

“We decided to bring it to a MGM Mirage property because they have good visitor numbers...and people from all over the world are coming to this new facility,” Li said.

The photos include those of President Nixon’s historic visit to China and two giant pandas given to the U.S. as a result of his trip, the 2008 Beijing Olympic games and President Obama’s first visit with Chinese President Hu Jintao. The 80 photo panels span the second and third levels of the mall.

MGM Mirage Chief Marketing Officer Bill Hornbuckle credited the company’s relationships in China through its Macau property for bringing the exhibit to CityCenter.

“Over the last decade, we’ve slowly begun to build more and more integrated relationships with the Chinese government, businesses and policy makers,” Hornbuckle said.

The exhibit has traveled to more than 20 U.S. and global cities, including New York, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, Macau, Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong. It will be in Las Vegas for two weeks before thousands arrive for Chinese New Year.

“Asia has become a big part of our business. China is the largest growing market in the world and with Chinese New Year right around the corner, it made all the sense in the world, because it helps us showcase the relationship we want to have,” Hornbuckle said.

Middle school students from Beijing traveled with the Chinese diplomats to Las Vegas to see the exhibit, symbolizing the next generation of relations between the two countries, Li said.

“If we can continue to work as friends and try to talk about all our differences and there is mutual respect, we can solve the problem in the future,” Li said. “We just held a conference called Looking Forward to the Next 30 Years, and that’s what we are hoping to do.”

The exhibit will be on display at Crystals until Feb. 22 and is open daily from 10 a.m. to midnight.

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