A member of the Chengdu media delegation shows the logo of the giant panda to representatives of the Rambam Health Care Campus in Haifa, Israel. [Photo by Huang Zhiling/chinadaily.com.cn]

She said a performance in Haifa by a Chengdu dance troupe named Harmony Between Heaven and Earth was attended by many residents of the city and impressed her deeply.

A high school in Haifa has forged exchange ties with a counterpart in Chengdu so that local students in Haifa can learn more about Chengdu and students in Chengdu can learn about Haifa.

The student exchange program between the University of Haifa and Chengdu University is also proceeding smoothly, Almog said.

Hanan Alexander, dean of students and head of the International School at the university, said: "Thanks to the program, 10 Chengdu students are studying at the University of Haifa and two or three students from the University of Haifa go to Chengdu as exchange students each year."

"Exchanges of teachers for academic purposes and cooperation in training teachers are on the agenda on both sides, and a Confucius Institute will be built at the University of Haifa in the near future," he said.

Lin's tutor Tzion Fahima is a special term professor at Chengdu University. Last year, he gave two lectures at Chengdu University.