An artist inscribes "In Harmony with Nature", the theme for the Philippine-Chinese Art and Cultural Exchange Program. The inscription is placed on the collaborative painting by five renowned Chinese artists in Shenzhen, Guangdong province of China, on Sept 21, 2019. [Photo by XIE SHUDAN/chinadaily.com.cn]

The program comes at a special time as China and the Philippines enter a new chapter of bilateral relations.

In August, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte visited China to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping. During his five days in China, Duterte participated in events intended to improve cultural and people-to-people exchanges. It was Duterte's second visit this year and his fifth in the past three years.

"I hope artists from both countries can experience the natural sceneries and the magic landscape (in both countries) together to find inspiration," said Zhou of CCAA.

After the exhibition in Manila, the Philippine artists will visit Liling city in Central China's Hunan province from Oct 20 to 24 to sketch and paint in a city famous for its artistic atmosphere and for its ceramics. After that, the collection of art works created in the Philippines and China will be exhibited in Shenzhen, between Oct 26 and Nov 16. That exhibition will be open to the public for free.