A book titled The Friendship Arch was published this month in Britain to celebrate the twinning of China's Shanghai and the British city of Liverpool.

The book, written by Lew Baxter who has worked in China as a foreign expert with Xinhua News Agency and Beijing Review, got its name from a dazzling and spectacular Chinese imperial arch that stands atop Liverpool's China Town as a symbol of a new era of friendship and cooperation between the world-renowned British maritime city which boasts the oldest Chinese community in Europe and China's commercial capital Shanghai.

It features glorious photographs taken by award-winning photographer Guy Woodland, and is crammed with intriguing facts and images that celebrate the twinning of Shanghai and Liverpool which has seen them embark on a series of unrivaled cultural, civic and sports exchanges.

The book tells how China's biggest city, with an estimated population of more than 15 million, is rapidly transforming itself into the most dynamic conurbation in Asia.

It also describes how Liverpool, ranked the second most important maritime city in Britain, is basking in the glory of UNESCO's decision to award it World Heritage status, largely for its awesome waterfront. The British city will be European Capital of Culture in 2008.

In addition, The Friendship Arch offers a vivid account of the fascinating story of the building of the Shanghai Arch in Liverpool, largely by a team of Chinese craftsmen, sent over by the Shanghai Yin Li Garden Building Company.

The tale unfolds through a series of remarkable photographs, many never seen before, that were taken day by day as the Arch sprung up from the ground.

It also includes panoramic photographs of Shanghai and Liverpool as well as numerous profiles of Chinese people who have settled in Britain. There is also an essay about the history of Chinese arches by Chinese journalist Zhang Xin, who works for the China Daily on-line edition.

In a special foreword, Lord Heseltine, a former British deputy prime minister, wrote that Liverpool's relations with Shanghai echo Britain's own hopes and aspirations for ongoing friendship with the People's Republic of China.

Zha Peixin, Chinese Ambassador to Britain, writes that he believes the book will help further deepen the bond between the two peoples.

(CRI.com June 24, 2005)